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Italy offers help to patrol Tunisian ports

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Italy on Thursday reiterated its offer to help patrol Tunisian ports to stem an exodus of migrants across the Mediterranean amid the ongoing turmoil in the North African state, Ansa news agency reported.

Italy on Thursday reiterated its offer to help patrol Tunisian ports to stem an exodus of migrants across the Mediterranean amid the ongoing turmoil in the North African state, Ansa news agency reported.

Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said his country could provide patrol boats and police to beef up security at ports as thousands of Tunisians are leaving for the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.

Previous offers of help have been turned down by Tunisian authorities.

Maroni said Italy would only act in cooperation with Tunisian authorities, in order to "boost security and avert a mass exodus into Europe."

A minority of the estimated 6,000 Tunisians have asked for asylum status, Maroni said.

Some 2,000 requested the broader cover of "humanitarian protection" while 400 asked for political refugee status.

Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi announced his resignation on February 27 amid mass anti-government protests in an effort to prevent further violence.

Protests swept Tunisia in mid-December, forcing President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the North African country for 23 years, to flee to Saudi Arabia.

The December riots in Tunisia ignited a wave of anti-government protests throughout the Arab world.

ROME, March 3 (RIA Novosti) 

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