Eight Tunisians repatriated - new disturbance at Safi

A group of eight Tunisians was repatriated today - the first batch of a group of 71 Tunisians who arrived on February 1 and have been in detention since.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said more Tunisians would be repatriated once their documents arrived from Tunis.

A number of Tunisians last Thursday staged a violent protest at Lyster Barracks, Hal Far, as they called for immediate repatriation.

Sources said some of them will be taken to court and accused of damaging the barracks.

Meanwhile police and army reinforcements have been called to Safi detention centre, where a disturbance broke out early this afternoon. The sources said migrants of different ethnic groups were fighting among themselves.