Tunisians protest return of militants fearing more violence

Tunisia is facing growing fears that the return of Tunisian militants from abroad could destabilise the country that has already suffered a number of deadly attacks since 2011 when former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted.

Concerns have increased after a Tunisian was identified as the main suspect behind the Berlin Christmas market attack where 11 people were killed after a truck ploughed through the packed market last week. The driver was later killed by police in Italy.

Responsibility for the attack was later claimed by Daesh in a video showing the driver, Anis Amri, pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the group’s leader. However, it is unclear if this was a planned Daesh attack or a “lone wolf” attack done in the name of the extremist group.

The United Nations has estimated that over 5,500 Tunisians are currently fighting alongside “extremist” groups, including in Syria, Iraq and Libya where Daesh have bases.

“The issue of returning jihadists is acute because the noose is being tightened around Daesh in Syria, Iraq and Libya,” one political analyst, Hamza Meddeb, explained.

The Daesh stronghold in the Libyan city of Sirte was recently overrun this month by a US-led Coalition including pro-government forces, adding to the numerous setbacks the group have experienced this year.

As a result, fears have grown that tens of thousands of militants could head back to their home countries, including Tunisia, following the group’s losses.

Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub confirmed last week that 800 militants have already returned from the frontlines and reiterated that the Tunisian authorities have placed them under constant surveillance.

However, his words have failed to prove comforting to politicians, security forces and citizens who over the past few days have voiced their fears and warned against the repercussions of allowing militants to return.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside parliament in Tunis last week to protest against allowing militants back into the country.

According to history professor Abdel-Latif Hannachi, Tunisia has the capacity to deal with returning fighters, “but it is necessary to work in stages.”

“First investigate, then refer them to the courts and isolate them if necessary, then finally begin their rehabilitation,” Hannachi told AFP.

Key Tunisian political figure and spiritual leader of the Ennahda, Rached Ghannouchi, opposed a ban on returning Tunisian militants and said that the country should “assume its responsibilities”.

“This disease has to be dealt with seriously,” Ghannouchi said, adding that his “treatment” for the problem was “justice, police, education and therapy.”

However, Tunisia’s security forces warned that the possibility of battle-hardened militants returning was “worrying and could lead to the Somaliaisation of the country” due to experienced fighters receiving military training in the use of sophisticated weaponry.

The security forces urged the government to take “exceptional measures” to fight the return of militants and strip them of their nationality.

However, Article 25 of Tunisia’s new constitution states that no citizen shall be deprived of their nationality, exiled, extradited or prevented from returning to their home country.

President Beji Caid Essebsi said earlier this month that his country was “taking all necessary measures” to ensure that militants returning from Syria and Iraq were “neutralised”.

“We can’t prevent a Tunisian from returning to his country. We will not put them all in prison because we would not have enough prisons…but we will monitor them,” Essebsi explained.

Last month, Tunisia’s national security council announced the adoption of a strategy to fight extremist violence.