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15 Illegal Migrants Die at Sea off Algeria

African migrants at sea in the Mediterranean. (AFP)
African migrants at sea in the Mediterranean. (AFP)
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15 Illegal Migrants Die at Sea off Algeria

African migrants at sea in the Mediterranean. (AFP)
African migrants at sea in the Mediterranean. (AFP)

Fifteen migrants died on Sunday while attempting to reach Italian shores through a traditional boat, activists in east Algeria said Monday.

Hundreds of illegal migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean while making the dangerous journey to Europe.

In the latest tragedy, a boat departed Collo for Lampedusa island in Italy. It capsized during a storm, leaving 15 people dead, said the civil defense.

Seven bodies were retrieved at dawn on Monday and the coast guard is searching for survivors. A girl has been rescued from the water.

A probe has been launched in the incident.

The coast guard submits monthly reports about its interception of illegal migrant boats.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Algeria on Jan. 19 and discussed illegal migration among other issues with officials.

Rome wants Algiers to play a stronger role in cracking down on the illegal migration.

A week before her visit, the Italian ministers of interior and foreign affairs and international cooperation discussed with Tunisian officials combating illegal migration to Italy from Tunisia.

Tunisia has also increased in popularity as a transit country for migrants heading to Italy, the InfoMigrants website said on March 16.

The Algerian cities of Annaba and Skikda are starting points for journeys to Italy and Oran and Mostaganem are the usual starting points to Spain.

The Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations stated in May 2022 during a conference on illegal migration organized by the General Assembly that the Algerian security forces have dismantled more than 400 illegal migrant smuggling networks between 2020 and 2021.

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Lebanon: Mysterious Evacuation Calls Renew Fears of Israeli Strikes

A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
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Lebanon: Mysterious Evacuation Calls Renew Fears of Israeli Strikes

A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)
A Lebanese soldier secures participants during a marathon in Beirut last week (AP)

A wave of anonymous phone calls urging residents to evacuate buildings in southern and eastern Lebanon sparked fresh panic on Saturday over potential Israeli attacks. Though the threats later proved to be unfounded and traced to local sources, the incident unfolded amid heightened tensions and the continued presence of Israeli military aircraft in the skies above South Lebanon.

According to local media reports, Lebanese citizens in the town of Tammine in the Bekaa Valley (eastern Lebanon) received phone calls urging them to evacuate a residential building. Security forces immediately launched an investigation into the origin of the calls, while residents evacuated the building as a precaution.

After coordination with Lebanese security agencies, authorities confirmed the caller was Lebanese and the threat lacked credibility. Legal measures were initiated against the individual responsible for the hoax threat.

Security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the calls were made from within Lebanese territory, and the numbers are being tracked using technical means. “We are monitoring these calls and pursuing those responsible,” a source said.

This incident is the latest in a series of similar events. Over the past few months, especially during the expanded conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, hundreds of Lebanese citizens have received anonymous calls warning of imminent strikes, spreading fear across communities.

Lebanese authorities have arrested around 20 individuals linked to these threats. Security officials noted that during periods of active conflict, Lebanon’s military intelligence identified coordinated foreign campaigns - some linked to Israel - aimed at inciting fear among the population.

“These calls were part of organized external efforts, and in some cases, the Lebanese army’s intelligence managed to trace and neutralize them by blocking digital access points used to relay such messages,” a security source explained. “They were indeed causing panic among residents.”

Residents, particularly in southern Lebanon, say they have no choice but to treat such calls seriously. Israel has occasionally issued official warnings ahead of attacks, as seen in two incidents in Beirut’s southern suburbs after a ceasefire agreement took effect. However, in other instances, Israeli aircraft have carried out strikes without warning, further fueling concern among civilians and prompting widespread caution.

Saturday’s panic was further heightened by intensified Israeli aerial activity over southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported low-flying Israeli fighter jets over the villages and towns of Tyre district, as well as over Jezzine and the eastern sector of the south.

Local activists also reported Israeli drones flying at low altitude above the Litani River basin. One drone reportedly dropped two sound bombs over the Wadi al-Asafir area in the town of Khiam.