Tunisian state TV and Libyan authorities said on Tuesday that Tunisia and Libya have closed a major border crossing at Ras Jedir after armed clashes erupted in the nearby town of Wazin.
The primary point of entry between the two North African nations is the border station located in the desert region of Ras Jedir, around 170 kilometers from Tripoli, the capital of Libya.
Libya-Tunisia Border Crossing Closed
On Tuesday, Libya's interior ministry said in a statement that "outlaws" had stormed the border, which sees a large flow of Libyans, often traveling to Tunisia for medical care, and trucks carrying goods arrive in the opposite direction.
The Tripoli-based ministry said without further information that this action carried out by these outlaw groups will not be tolerated, and legal measures and the most severe penalties will be taken against those involved.
According to local media, armed conflicts erupted on Monday night between security personnel dispatched by Tripoli and armed factions in control of Ras Jedir.
Libyan Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi told the ministry's "law enforcement department" to step in at Ras Jedir on Monday to "combat smuggling and security violations" and facilitate travel.
Unverified footage on social media showed a burning car near Ras Jedir with people running and with gunfire audible.
Tunisia's Tataouine Radio said late on Monday that Tunisia has shut down the crossing for the safety of citizens moving to Libya.
Groups from nearby cities have controlled Ras Jedir for years, taking advantage of the profitable cross-border trade.
Furthermore, trade is also a source of income for thousands of Tunisian families in the south.
Libya has been in a state of instability since longstanding leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in an uprising supported by NATO in 2011 and is divided between eastern and western factions, with competing administrations governing each area.
Black Refugees Trapped in Libya-Tunisia Border
Despite claims that hundreds had been moved to state-owned properties nearby, two more groups of sub-Saharan African refugees, including children, have been confirmed to be stuck in a militarized border zone between Tunisia and Libya.
A group of about 150 stranded people claimed on Tuesday that after being physically assaulted by Tunisian police, they were dumped in the border area. On Wednesday, they said they had gone without food or water for several days.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a video showing one group hiding behind a tree and pleading for water while claiming that many were killed.
Hamza Meddeb, a research fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Centre based in Tunis, said everyone reacts to whatever crisis they see in front of them without telling another, and there is no coordination and strategy.
A large group of Black refugees was taken by bus from the port city of Sfax to the Algerian border in the desert, in addition to those who were expelled to the Libyan border. The NGO Alarm Phone and HRW were able to stay in touch with the group during its disintegration, but they have now lost touch.
Furthermore, two Black refugee bodies have been found in the area.
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