Guinea to fly back citizens in Tunisia after outcry

The West African state of Guinea is repatriating dozens of its citizens from Tunisia, a senior official said Wednesday, after Tunisian President Kais Saied triggered a storm by accusing sub-Saharan migrants of crime.

The foreign ministry official told AFP that the ruling junta had leased an aircraft to bring about 50 Guineans in Tunisia who said they wanted to return home.

The information was confirmed by a senior official at the Conakry airport.

Hours earlier, the president’s office issued a statement saying that Foreign Minister Morissanda Kouyate was heading to Tunisia aboard a government aircraft “to provide urgent support for Guineans” there.

This is Guinea’s first repatriation flight since Saied ordered security forces to take “urgent measures” against “hordes” of sub-Saharan African migrants, accusing them without evidence of causing a wave of crime and plotting to change the country’s demographic make-up.

Many of the estimated 21,000 sub-Saharan African migrants in Tunisia — most of whom are irregular — have lost their jobs and housing overnight.

Others have been stopped by police, and some have reported physical attacks.

Dozens of migrants have flocked to their embassies, particularly those of Ivory Coast and Mali, asking to return home.

Several countries have announced repatriation flights for volunteer returnees.

But there have been delays due to penalties the migrants must pay, which often exceed 1,000 euros ($1,070), an Ivorian diplomat said.