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Tunisia builds barrier along border with Libya

February 13, 2016 at 3:59 pm

The Tunisian government has started to build a barrier along the border with Libya, Almesryoon.com reported on Friday. The barrier is part of defence preparations for any potential military threat from the larger of the two North African neighbours.

The first stage of the barrier, a series of canals, has been completed. The plan is to undermine any terrorist threats and is a copy of the Egyptian flooding of the border with the Gaza Strip. Officials in the southern areas of Tunisia have been told by the government to make preparations for how they will deal with “emergency or exceptional” developments. Prime Minister Al-Habib Al-Sid also called on local authorities to prepare plans for a potential influx of refugees.

Read: Tunisian protesters block road leading to Libyan border

Last week, President Beji Caid Essebsi issued a warning to anyone thinking of interfering in Tunisia. “Do not think only of your own interests, but also think about the interests of other countries, mainly Tunisia,” he said.

More than 100,000 people have crossed from Libya into Tunisia since the start of the Libyan conflict in 2011 which led to the ouster of Muamar Gadhafi. Subsequent political and security instability there has pushed Western countries into thinking about further military intervention.

There are currently two governments in Libya: one is in Tobruk and led by the renegade army Colonel Khalifa Haftar, and it is recognised by the international community; the other is based in the capital Tripoli, which is the government that is accepted by most Libyans, but is not recognised by the international community.