By: Fatou Krubally
Gambian migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean have reported severe mistreatment by Tunisian authorities, including interception at sea, physical abuse, and abandonment in desert regions near the Algerian border.
According to firsthand testimonies shared on Ebrima Drammeh’s migrant situation reporting page, a group of 48 migrants, primarily from The Gambia and Guinea, departed from KM 19 in Sfax, Tunisia, aiming for European shores.
Their journey was abruptly interrupted when the Tunisian National Guard intercepted their vessel, confiscated the engine and fuel, and left them stranded at sea overnight in freezing conditions.
One Gambian migrant recounted their ordeal saying “Hi bro, we are on the big ship. We spent the night at sea. The Tunisian national guards took our engine and fuel but still kept us on the water. It’s very cold here. I can still communicate, but once we reach the port, they will take our phones. I think I’ll say bye for now. We are so worried because we don’t know where they will take us today.”
The following morning, the migrants were reportedly transported from the port on a grueling nine-hour journey to the desert. During the transfer, they allege their hands and legs were bound, and they were subjected to physical assaults, resulting in injuries, including head wounds.
Among the group were vulnerable individuals, including a pregnant woman and a mother with her child. Upon reaching the desert near the Algerian border, the migrants were abandoned without resources. Some managed to cross into Algeria and are currently in hiding, while others remain stranded in the desert. A Gambian migrant shared their plight:
“They took us from the water (sea) and put us here. They took us from the port; we spent 9 hours to come to the desert. They tied all our hands and beat all our bodies. Some are wounded; some heads are hit. They tied all our hands and legs, many of us, and put us into a bus, and it’s overloaded because they’ve caught a lot of ships.”
This incident is not isolated. Reports indicate that Tunisian authorities have been involved in similar expulsions of migrants to desert areas bordering Algeria and Libya. Such actions have raised significant concerns among human rights organizations. The collective expulsions, lack of due process, and exposure of migrants to harsh conditions without basic necessities are viewed as violations of international humanitarian law. The European Union’s continued cooperation with Tunisia on migration control has also come under scrutiny, with calls for ensuring that such partnerships do not contribute to human rights abuses.
The current whereabouts and well-being of the affected Gambian migrants remain uncertain. Advocacy groups are urging Tunisian authorities to halt such expulsions and to adhere to international legal standards in their treatment of migrants and asylum seekers.