Tunisian-Libyan Southern Border Crossing Closed Following Clashes

A refugee camp burned down in Tunisia that housed African migrant workers who have been forced to leave Libya due to the actions of counter-revolutionary rebels backed-up by the United States and NATO. Many refugees have been killed and injured., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Tunisian-Libyan southern border crossing closed following clashes

By Houda Mzioudet.
Tunis, 11 March 2103

The Wazen-Dehiba border crossing linking Libya and Tunisia was closed yesterday evening, Sunday, following clashes between a group of Tunisian traders and Libyans. The former had reportedly been smuggling petrol into Tunisia when one of their vehicles was shot at near the border. Residents in the Tunisian town of Dehiba then asked for the crossing to be closed, according to the Tunisian news agency, TAP.

Tunisians who were bringing petrol from Libya had been attacked by Libyans who had smashed their cars, Tunisian driver Seddik, from Dehiba told the Libya Herald. Khaled Askar, a lieutenant at the Wazen-Dehiba customs, explained that locals in Dehiba then decided to close the border crossing “as a precautionary measure in case of adverse reactions from both sides”.

He added: “Some locals gathered in Dehiba and started smashing Libyan people’s cars. This is a temporary measure until problems are solved amicably.”

The Tunisian authorities have said they may reopen the crossing today, Monday, if the issue was resolved between the two parties and calm restored, according to the TAP. But border police were reported as saying that for the time being only passengers returning home would be allowed to use the crossing.

Fuel smuggling has become a regular issue on both the Ras Jedir and Wazen-Dehiba crossings since the end of the Qaddafi government.

The Tunisian government’s decision last week to increase petrol prices left many Tunisians furious, especially coming at a time of economic crisis. The border town of Ben Guerdane, near the main Ras Jedir border crossing, had been heavily involved in fuel smuggling even before the Libyan counter-revolution and the problem has worsened recently.

There have been numerous clashes between locals there and the Tunisian authorities as a result. Smuggling continues in the town nonetheless.

The incident at the southern Wazen-Dehiba crossing comes just one day after a ceremony was organised there by the Nalut Office for the Development of Tunisian-Libyan Relations. It was part of the celebration for the second anniversary of the Libyan Counter-Revolution. Those attending included the Tunisian ambassador in Libya, the Libyan ambassador in Tunisia, the vice-president of the GNC, the governors of Medenine and Tataouine, the heads of the local and military councils of a number of towns in the Jebel Nefusa and the regional director of customs at Nalut.