"In Tunisia, black sub-Saharan Africans will not have a future here and neither will our children," said Josephus Thomas, a construction worker.

"We need evacuation," out of Tunisia he said, "even" if that meant going to another African country, he added.

Some countries have been offering to repatriate their citizens, such as Ivory Coast and Guinea.

The tensions started after President Kais Saied accused sub-Saharan African migrants living in the country of causing a crime wave and described them as a demographic threat.

Since then black Africans have told the BBC they have faced increased racism in Tunisia.

Mr Thomas described one frightening scene where he saw "Tunisian boys who were armed with sticks, sharp metal, knives and stones" chasing some Gambian, Senegalese and Guinean migrants.

He went on to describe the situation in Tunisia as "messy and horrible" and said he has attempted to leave by boat himself.

“If I have the opportunity to leave by boat I will take it because it’s better than living in Tunisia where you don’t know what they might do to you next.”