In Tunisia, authorities have set fire to the tents of thousands of irregular migrants at an informal camp near the port city of Sfax.
The government claims that its strategy is to push migrants toward voluntary returns to their home countries, leaving them with no other options. The destruction took place in El Amra, approximately 30 kilometers outside Sfax, as part of the Tunisian government’s ongoing aggressive approach to handling irregular migration. A video shared by one of the affected migrants on X shows black smoke rising from the camp, with an atmosphere of fear and anger among the displaced individuals.
Since early April, authorities have been working to dismantle the camp, with National Guard spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli confirming that thousands of migrants have already been uprooted in previous weeks. Following the latest destructive actions, another 3,300 migrants were forced out of the site, with the use of fire to burn down the remaining tents.
The informal camp, which has existed for about two years, has long been a point of tension between migrants, local authorities, and residents. Located near olive groves and known as “Kilometer Marker 33,” the camp’s residents have long called for the area to be cleared, amid rising hostilities between migrants and locals.
Many of the migrants have been stranded in Tunisia for extended periods, as tightened controls on Mediterranean migration routes have dashed their hopes of reaching Europe. With fewer opportunities to continue their journey, many migrants have been left stuck in Tunisia, where the government has been increasingly restrictive.
