The Libyan Minister of the Interior, Emad Al-Trabelsi, ordered the closure of the Ras Ajdair border crossing on Monday until further notice after reports of security tension at the border with Tunisia.
The Ministry of Interior said in a statement following the closure decision that it had decided to shut down the border crossing with Tunisia immediately after “outlaw groups” attacked the border area in order to create chaos and disrupt work. It confirmed that those armed groups carried out such an act after their violations had stopped by the law, which some saw as an acquired right.
The statement indicated that instructions had been issued to make security arrangements to resume work at the border crossing by the relevant authorities, adding, that the security apparatuses would not allow chaos to take place at the border, which must be under the authority and legitimacy of the state, vowing to take legal measures against those involved in the tensions.
On Monday, Al-Trabelsi sent the Law Enforcement Authority to the Ras Ajdair border to support the security units there in combating smuggling and ending violations in order to maintain security and manage the movement of travelers between Libya and Tunisia.
This decision came on the heels of the clashes that took place at the Ras Ajdair border, immediately after the arrival of forces from the Law Enforcement Authority to the area, as the security forces that had previously secured the border refused the new arrivals’ presence.
