Tunisia has foiled 11 illegal immigration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to the Italian coast, National Guard Spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said Sunday.

Tunisia's Maritime Guard thwarted these illegal immigration attempts late Saturday off the country's southern and central-eastern coasts, Jbabli said in a statement.

The Maritime Guard also arrested 219 illegal immigrants, including 113 from African countries, according to the spokesman.

Located in the central Mediterranean, Tunisia is one of the most popular transit points for illegal immigration to Europe.

Although Tunisian authorities have adopted rigorous measures to tackle the problem, the number of illegal immigration attempts from Tunisia to Italy has increased.