MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Over 3,900 people have been arrested in South Africa in a police operation that came after a wave of xenophobic attacks in the country in April, the country's authorities said in a statement Sunday.
According to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration statement, as many as 3,914 people were arrested.
"We are satisfied that we have stabilized the situation and further loss of life has been prevented. Security agencies continue to work around the clock to protect both foreign nationals and South African citizens against any attacks," the committee said as quoted by the government portal.
The Operation Fiela came in response to a series of attacks on immigrants in South Africa in early April in the western province of KwaZulu-Natal, in which at least seven people were killed.
The operation was criticized by rights groups who believe it does not reflect on what the government claims to be undertaking to tackle the xenophobia issue.
