95 illegal immigrants held in Algeria, 52 in Tunisia

The Algerian army arrested 95 illegal immigrants in various operations, the defense ministry said Sunday.

Algeria's coast guards in Oran Province, 400 km northwest of the capital Algiers, foiled an attempt to illegally smuggle 18 people on a boat, according to a ministry statement.

In another operation, the army arrested 63 illegal immigrants of different nationalities in the province of Tlemcen in the far northwest of the country, on the borders with neighboring Morocco.

The army also arrested 14 illegal immigrants in the province of Tamanrasset in far southern Algeria.

Illegal immigration by sea has become a problem for the Algerian authorities as a huge number of local and foreign people have been arrested aboard makeshift boats attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea for a better life.

Meanwhile, the Tunisian navy on Saturday intercepted a boat with 52 illegal immigrants on board off the southeastern coast, Tunis Afrique Presse reported on Sunday.

The illegal immigrants, including six Tunisians and 46 people of different nationalities, were arrested while sailing to Italy off the El Amra belonging to Sfax province in southeastern Tunisia, Tunisian Interior Ministry said in a statement.

After consulting with the public prosecutor's office, the relevant authorities will take necessary measures against these illegal immigrants.

Thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean every year as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels.