Tunisian Police Clear Makeshift Refugee Camps, Leavingchildren, infants, missing, police, clear, refugeeHundreds Missing

Tunisian authorities have forcibly removed hundreds, migrants, including infants, from makeshift camps in the capital city of Tunis, busing them to an unknown location. The police raid, which occurred on Friday, targeted two camps in the Berge de Lac business district - one in a walled-off public park and the other in an alleyway outside the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) office.

Why this matters: The forced removal of refugees and migrants from makeshift camps in Tunis highlights the ongoing struggle for human rights and dignity in the face of political and social unrest. As the international community grapples with the complexities of migration and asylum, incidents like this underscore the need for urgent attention to the plight of displaced individuals and the development of more humane and sustainable solutions.

Reports suggest that the group, which included several nationalities such as Chadians, Sierra Leoneans, and Sudanese, was abandoned in the desert near the Algerian border. Video footage shared by the Refugees in Libya organization showed raiding the camp late at night and refugees and migrants, including women and infants, being transported to the desert. "Babies and infants are hungry and thirsty, they told me," said David Yambio, spokesperson for Refugees in Libya. "The police told them nothing except for beatings and insults."

The organization maintained contact with some of the missing individuals, who reported being let out of buses about 5km from the northwestern city of Jendouba, near the Algerian border. A significant number of the refugees held cards issued by the UNHCR, allowing them access to basic medical care and a small stipend, despite Tunisia lacking asylum laws.

Accusations by rights groups that Tunisia expels refugees and migrants to the Algerian and Libyan borders, in breach of international law, are longstanding. However, Tunisian authorities have consistently denied this practice. Human Rights Watch, Avocats Sans Frontieres, and Amnesty International have repeatedly condemned the Tunisian police and officials for their treatment of the middle community.

The forcible removal of the refugees and migrants from the camps in Tunis has leftchildren, infants, missing, police, clear, refugee, including children and infants, missing and stranded in hostile conditions. The IOM has not responded to requests for details on the raid and what provisions were made for the people's safety. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community awaits answers and action to address the plight of these displaced individuals.

Key Takeaways

• Tunisian authorities forcibly removed hundreds of migrants, including infants, from makeshift camps in Tunis.
• Refugees were bused to an unknown location, reportedly abandoned in the desert near the Algerian border.
• Many refugees held UNHCR cards, granting access to basic medical care and a small stipend.
• Rights groups accuse Tunisia of breaching international law by expelling refugees to Algerian and Libyan borders.
• The IOM has not responded to requests for details on the raid and provisions for the people's safety.