Tunisian authorities announced Thursday that 4,500 undocumented migrants from Sub-Saharan African countries have left the country under voluntary return programs since the beginning of the year.

Spokesman for the National Guard, Houssem Eddine Jebabli, stated in a local media interview that the number of irregular migrants in Tunisian cities has dropped significantly due to enhanced security operations, particularly efforts to foil maritime migration attempts to Europe.

He also confirmed that the dismantling of unauthorized migrant camps in Sfax, a key departure point for boats heading to Italy, is still ongoing.

The announcement comes amid growing pressure from European partners, especially Italy, urging Tunisia to strengthen migration control and improve cooperation on repatriation and border enforcement.