The Head of the Presidential Council Mohamed Menfi has conducted an expanded security meeting with the state’s top security commanders, after recent developments regarding the Libyan-Tunisian borders.
The Libyan Ministry of Interior has accused Tunisian authorities of expelling African migrants and expatriates toward the border with Libya. Over the past few weeks, international human rights organizations have confirmed that Tunisian authorities have been forcibly expelling migrants located in Tunisia toward the Libyan borders. The number of abandoned people in the desert area is by the hundreds at the very least. Several migrants stuck in the border zone have attempted to cross into Libya as they face life-threatening conditions, with international accounts assuring death cases have been reported. The Ministry had documented the spread of migrants in the isolated desert region before they were rescued by its patrols.
The Presidential Council as the Supreme Commander of the armed forces met with heads of the relevant agencies to address the need to monitor, control and secure borders. Menfi also stressed during the meeting on aspects relating to combating terrorism, activities of suspicious organizations, and mitigating the flow of irregular migration
The meeting was attended by the head of the Intelligence Service Hussein Al-Ayeb, the head of the Coast Guard Salah Abu Hajar, the commander of the Anti-Terrorism Force Muhammad Al-Zein, the Chief of the Border Guard Nuri Sharata and a number of representatives from different security and military agencies. Menfi affirmed the council’s readiness to provide all kinds of support to solidify monitoring border crossings and naval points and prevent any breaches that may threaten national security.
Libya has been battling during recent years with the challenges of irregular migration, this current encounter now with the Tunisian side represents an unprecedented burden on its western borders.
Source: Presidential Council + Ministry of Interior
