Clashes between Tunisian Security Forces and Terrorists

Local Editor

Less than a week after killing five militants who slipped across the country, Tunisia security forces clashed with terrorists near the Libyan border Monday.

The militants attempted to attack a National Guard post and an army barracks in the town of Ben Guerdane, triggering a firefight in which at least four civilians had been wounded.

Media sources relatively reported that the violence erupted at 4:30 am, and residents added that it was still raging after daybreak.

For its part, the interior ministry said it had no immediate comment, while the defense ministry could not be reached.

Troops have been on alert in the border area following reports that militants had been slipping across since a US air strike on a Daesh [the Arabic acronym for "ISIS"] training camp in Libya on Feb. 18 killed dozens of Tunisian militants.

Meanwhile, the deadly attacks by Daesh on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to Tunisia's tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya.

Accordingly, Tunisia built a 200-kilometer barrier that stretches about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to stop militants infiltrating.

In parallel, Britain announced last week that it was sending a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train troops patrolling the border with Libya.

In a relevant context, a UN working group on the use of mercenaries said that more than 5,000 Tunisians, mostly aged from 18 to 35, have traveled abroad to join terrorist groups.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team