TUNIS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has foiled six illegal migration attempts to cross the Mediterranean to the Italian coast, National Guard Spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said on Wednesday.

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

       The Maritime Guard also arrested 144 illegal migrants, including 109 from African countries, the statement added.

       More than 2,000 Tunisian illegal migrants have managed to reach the Italian coasts in the first five months of this year, according to the latest figures released by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES).

       Thousands of illegal migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean annually as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels.