South African police arrest thousands in raids

At around 1 a.m. on Thursday morning, South African police entered a Cape Town neighborhood notorious for gang violence. It was one of several nationwide raids, in response to last month's attacks on foreigners in the country, officials said in a statement.

Accompanied by the military, police stalked between apartment buildings, arresting 39 people for crimes ranging from robbery to drug possession, according to a police statement. National police authorities said about 4,000 people were arrested as part of the sweep, including 1,650 foreigners living in the country illegally.

A South African soldier walks past a woman holding her baby standing at the entrance of her flat in Manenberg, South Africa

Authorities also deported undocumented immigrants arrested during the raids.

The sweeping raids began at the end of April in response to the violence targeting foreign migrants, in which seven people were killed. South African officials condemned the violence. The government is trying to address issues at the root of tension between immigrants and locals, according to a government statement.

A South African soldier, right, provide security for policemen, left, as they look for drugs in Manenberg, South Africa, Thursday, May 21, 2015. Hundreds of South African Police and Army members took part in an early morning raid on Manenberg after recent gang violence, looking fro drugs and illegal firearms

A South African policeman, right, speaks to woman as he and others search
for drugs in Manenberg, South Africa, Thursday, May 21, 2015.

A South African police officer searches for drugs on a man as a soldier provides security in Manenberg, South Africa Thursday, May 21, 2015.

Woman hold out their hands after South African police asked them to do so as they search for sings of drug use in Manenberg, South Africa Thursday, May 21, 2015.

A man holding a girl walks by two South African soldiers providing security for police officers during a raid in Manenberg, South Africa Thursday, May 21, 2015. 

A South African soldier, left, provides security as a policeman, rear left, searches a man in Manenberg, South Africa Thursday, May 21, 2015.

Tackling crime has become one of the most visible responses, with police around the country reporting arrests as part of nationwide raids, known as Operation Fiela — meaning to sweep clean in the local Sotho language. Despite criticism from rights groups, police have hailed the raids as a success.

A South African soldier provide security for policemen as they look for drugs, with a child, center, walking to school pulling her books along in Manenberg, South Africa, Thursday, May 21, 2015

South Africa's image has been tarnished by the attacks, especially among its African neighbors.

On a two-day state visit to the Mozambique, South African President Jacob Zuma apologized to the Mozambican people because a Mozambican national was killed in the attacks.

"It is important that I apologize in the name of a small minority of South Africans who carried out these atrocious acts," Zuma said at a banquet held by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Wednesday evening.