Tunisian soldiers at the Ras Jedir crossing on the border with Libya (Reuters - Archive)
The authorities in Libya and Tunisia closed the Ras Jedir border crossing between the two countries after clashes took place yesterday evening, Monday, between two Libyan security forces.
The Libyan Ministry of Interior said Tuesday morning on its official Facebook account that immediate orders had been issued to close the crossing following what it described as outlaw groups attacking the border facility, with the aim of causing chaos there.
The Ministry added that these instructions were taken to make security arrangements for the resumption of operation of the Ras Jedir crossing by the competent authorities.
The Libyan Interior Ministry continued that the crossing must be under the authority and legitimacy of the state, stressing that the security services that were assigned to secure the Ras Jedir crossing were working to prevent smuggling and combat crime.
For its part, the official Radio Tataouine (which broadcasts from the city of Tataouine in southeastern Tunisia) said that the authorities closed the crossing from the Tunisian side for security reasons after clashes on the Libyan side.
The radio added that the decision to close was taken to preserve the safety of citizens heading to Libya, noting that the authorities allowed those stranded on the Libyan side to enter before closing the port, which is located in the far west of Libya, near the city of Zuwara.
Video footage on social media showed a burning car in Ras Jedir, sounds of gunfire, and people running, according to what Reuters reported.
Local Libyan media reported that Zuwara Military Chamber forces took control of the crossing after seizing the vehicles and equipment of the "Law Enforcement Force" of the Ministry of Interior and the escape of some of the latter's members to the neutral zone at the crossing.
Yesterday, the Minister of Interior in the Libyan National Unity Government, Imad Trabelsi, assigned the law enforcement force to go to the crossing to support security operations aimed at preventing smuggling and security violations there. Yesterday evening, the force announced that it had begun its duties, before the confrontations broke out.
In December last year, the Libyan Minister of the Interior announced that the ministry had taken control of the crossing and changed a number of security leaders there.
In addition to the Ras Jedir crossing, which is the main land artery linking Libya and Tunisia, through which all common trade passes, as well as travelers, there is another smaller land crossing, the Dhiba crossing.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies