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Migrants are rescued by the Tunisian National Guard in the Mediterranean sea off the coast Sfax, Tunisia, October 4, 2022. File photo: Fethi Belaid/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than a dozen people from the Kurdistan Region detained in Tunisian waters in early August have been released, an Iraqi lawmaker told Rudaw on Saturday, adding two more are expected to be released soon.
Sixteen people traveling on tourist visas had been detained in Tunisian waters for illegally trying to enter Europe. “Fourteen of the 16 Kurds who were arrested about two months ago in Tunisia, were released yesterday,” said Muthana Amin, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s foreign relations committee.
The remaining two detainees are minors, Amin said, adding that pending legal procedures, they are expected to be released soon.
In June, Tunisia eased visa requirements for Iraqi tourists, prompting some Iraqi citizens to consider migrating to Europe through the North African country.
Ten more people from the Kurdistan Region were detained in Tunisia recently for similar attempts, but all were released, Omar Barzanji, undersecretary of the Iraqi foreign ministry told Rudaw last month.
Tunisia, which is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, is a hub for many people from the Middle East and Africa seeking to cross into Italy illegally and reach other destinations in Europe.
Every year, tens of thousands of people from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region take on perilous routes toward Europe in the hope of escaping the endless crises, including the lack of employment, political instability, and corruption.
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