TUNIS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has voluntarily repatriated more than 4,000 irregular migrants to their countries of origin since July 2025, the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported Saturday.
"The large-scale operation, targeting illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, was launched under directives from the country's top leadership," TAP quoted Houcemeddine Jbabli, spokesman for the Tunisian National Guard, as saying.
Jbabli made the remarks during a ceremony marking the departure of a new voluntary repatriation flight from Tunis-Carthage International Airport, carrying 243 Ivorian migrants back to Cote d'Ivoire.
The initiative was launched by the Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Tunisian Red Crescent. The ministry is also responsible for communicating with migrants who wish to return voluntarily.
Under the program, migrants are transported by bus from various urban areas to a central assembly camp before being gradually repatriated on scheduled flights. ■