Tunisia closes border with Libya ahead of presidential elections

The Tunisian authorities yesterday ordered the partial closure of border crossings with Libya during the upcoming presidential elections, the Anadolu Agency reported.

In a statement, the Tunisian government said: “The crisis cell, headed by Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa, decided to close the border crossing of Ras Jdir in Ben Gardane and the border crossing of Zahabiya in the Tataouine from yesterday until Sunday, the date of the presidential election.”

The statement noted that “the cell which monitors the security situation in the country has been following up with the developments in Libya and their impact on the Tunisian border.”

According to the statement, the cell was happy with the military and security preparations which have been made to secure the border.

It said: “The crisis cell reviewed the material and logistic preparations to secure the second round of the presidential elections and the current security threats as well as measures to deter them and stressed that they will not deter Tunisian voters from voting.”

The crisis cell includes the ministers of the interior, justice, human rights and transitional justice, defence and foreign affairs.

The cell’s decision to close the border comes only one day after the release of a video believed to be prepared by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organisation in which it condemned the Tunisian presidential elections and threatened to attack Tunisia. The video’s authenticity has not been verified.

Meanwhile, the Independent High Electoral Commission warned of “terrorist threats” against the election process.

At a press conference in the Tunisian capital yesterday, the Commission’s Chairman Shafiq Sorsar said, “there are terrorist threats targeting the electoral process” without explaining the nature of these threats.