Tunis, Feb 21 (IANS): Tunisian coast guards have rescued 86 illegal immigrants, who attempted to cross the Mediterranean toward the Italian coast, National Guard spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said.
A total of three illegal immigration attempts were foiled on the day, Jbabli said on Monday in a statement, adding that 78 of those immigrants rescued are non-Tunisians.
Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration toward Europe, Xinhua news agency reported.
Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants attempting to reach Italy through Tunisia has been on the rise.