Units the Coastguards of Annaba (600-km east of Algiers) foiled, on Tuesday and Wednesday, two illegal immigration attempts by 30 people using two makeshift boats in the north of Ras el-Hamra, said the Ministry of National Defence in a communiqué.
"As part of the fight against illegal immigration, Coastguards units of Annaba (5th Military Region) thwarted two separate illegal migration attempts by 30 people aboard two makeshift boats in north of Ras El Hamra, on 7 and 8 June 2016," said the Ministry's communiqué.
"These operations went smoothly," added the communiqué.
As the weather has improved, thousands of economic migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa are traveling to North African countries to attempt to cross the mediterranean. As coast guards are cracking down on the Libya to Italy route, potential migrants are moving west to Algeria.
Editor's note: This article has been modified from the original.
