Italy is facing a new wave of immigrants as more than 1,000 Tunisians arrived over the weekend, reports TODAYonline.
The latest arrival is one of the biggest to hit the southern Italian island of Lampedusa since Tunisians started coming in mid-January.
The immigration facility on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa is struggling to operate its 850-bed facility, as the number of immigrants on the island rose to 1,408, reports Malta Today.
The Italian coast guard met and escorted 11 boats that carried the 1,011 immigrants into the Sicilian port. So far, immigrants are not thought to be coming from Libya, but officials fear that may change.
In 2009, Rome signed an agreement with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, permitting Italy’s coast guard to return illegal Libyan immigrants back to their country.
Before the agreement, Libya was a major departure point for immigrants leaving Africa. Gadhafi said the situation might revert if he falls from power.
On Sunday, speaking to Journal du Dimanche, Gadhafi warned that if he falls from power, “thousands of people from Libya will invade Europe. There will be no one to stop them any more.”
More than 7,000 people from Tunisia have arrived in Italy since President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, was ousted in mid-January.
The latest arrival is one of the biggest to hit the southern Italian island of Lampedusa since Tunisians started coming in mid-January.
The immigration facility on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa is struggling to operate its 850-bed facility, as the number of immigrants on the island rose to 1,408, reports Malta Today.
The Italian coast guard met and escorted 11 boats that carried the 1,011 immigrants into the Sicilian port. So far, immigrants are not thought to be coming from Libya, but officials fear that may change.
In 2009, Rome signed an agreement with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, permitting Italy’s coast guard to return illegal Libyan immigrants back to their country.
Before the agreement, Libya was a major departure point for immigrants leaving Africa. Gadhafi said the situation might revert if he falls from power.
On Sunday, speaking to Journal du Dimanche, Gadhafi warned that if he falls from power, “thousands of people from Libya will invade Europe. There will be no one to stop them any more.”
More than 7,000 people from Tunisia have arrived in Italy since President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, was ousted in mid-January.
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