Hundreds of Tunisians stranded on Libya border call for repatriation 

Hundreds of Tunisian nationals working in Libya and stranded on the borders have requested permission from their authorities to return through the Ras Jedir border crossing between the two countries.

In a telephone interview with Anadolu Agency, Mohsen El-Medenini, one of the stranded Tunisians, disclosed: “We are now about a kilometre from the Ras Jedir crossing on the Libyan side, and we have been stuck here for 13 days. We are appealing to the Tunisian authorities to allow us to cross the border because the situation is getting worse.”

He added: “We are about 600 Tunisians. Many of us suffer from chronic diseases, and we have been homeless for the past few days before being transferred to the courtyard of one of the Libyan mosques near the crossing. This situation is precarious, especially with the spread of the coronavirus and our packed situation.”

“Tunisia does not let its people down. We have repatriated Tunisians who live thousands of kilometres away,” revealed Habib Shawat, governor of Medenine (South).

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“Last week, we evacuated more than 1,200 Tunisians through the Ras Jedir border crossing, and we brought them back to their homes in more than 20 Tunisian governorates,” he added.

“Before sending these Tunisians back through the border crossing, we have to provide an accommodation for their compulsory quarantine,” Shawat explained.

“Since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis and up to the last week, the Tunisian authorities have repatriated 1,425 Tunisian citizens from the Ras Jedir crossing, including 372 who have been placed in compulsory quarantine,” stressed Mustafa Abdel Kabir, a human rights activist dealing with Libyan affairs.

He added that around 5,000 workers are still in Libya, most of whom are expected to return to Tunisia in the coming days.

The Tunisian authorities are postponing the entry of these workers until they provide compulsory quarantine centres.

As of Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases in Tunisia reached 747, including 34 deaths.