TUNIS - (Xinhua) - The Tunisian Navy thwarted 17 attempts at illegal immigration, during which 255 illegal immigrants of several African nationalities were rescued, along with a number of Tunisians.

Today, Saturday, the official spokesman for the Tunisian National Guard (Gendarmerie) Hossam Eddine Jebabli said in a statement that the naval units of the National Guard (Gendarmerie) in the Sahel and Central regions managed, during the night between August 5 and 6, to thwart 17 attempts to immigrate illegally. Legitimacy towards Italy from the Tunisian coast.

He added that during these operations, 255 illegal immigrants were rescued, including 170 illegal immigrants from several African nationalities and the rest Tunisians, in addition to seizing a sum of foreign currency, without specifying its value.

He continued, "...in the framework of the preemptive operations, units of the National Guard (gendarmerie) were able yesterday (Friday) to seize 5 people who were in the process of preparing to carry out a process of surreptitiously crossing the maritime borders, starting from the coasts of Sousse Governorate, in the east of the country."

During the few days and weeks, such operations were repeated, as hardly a day passes without the Tunisian authorities announcing that they have thwarted attempts to illegal immigration from the Tunisian coasts that extend over 1,300 kilometers, which usually increase with the improvement of weather conditions.

Dreamers of immigration from Tunisia and Libya usually choose the Italian island of Lampedusa as the first stop on their cruise, as it is the closest point to the Tunisian shores, only about 80 kilometers away.