TUNIS, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has foiled three illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Italian coast, National Guard Spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said on Wednesday on his Facebook page.
Tunisia's maritime guard thwarted these illegal immigration attempts late Tuesday and early Wednesday off the country's northern and central-eastern coasts, Jbabli said in a statement.
According to the spokesman, the guard rescued 70 illegal immigrants from sinking boats during these operations.
Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.
Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigrants from Tunisia to Italy has been on the rise.
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