The road to the Ra’s Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia remains closed from the Libyan side for the third consecutive day.
According to the Tunisian news outlet “Mosaïque FM,” the closure is affecting the section of the road near the Libyan town of Boukamech, bringing traffic at the crossing to a standstill.
Despite the halt in movement at the Ra’s Ajdir crossing for three days, an exception has been made for some ambulances returning to Libya.
Meanwhile, many Libyan vehicles are waiting in the border town of Ben Gardane to return to Libya through Ra’s Ajdir, as the alternative route through the Dhehiba Wazen crossing is both farther and more difficult due to the terrain.
Earlier, armed groups blocked the Zuwara road leading to the Ra’s Ajdir border crossing, demanding the withdrawal of forces associated with the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) from the area.
A source informed “Sputnik” on Thursday that “armed groups closed the Zuwara road leading to the Ra’s Ajdir crossing with earth mounds due to local demands for the removal of military forces from the area.”
The groups warned that any military force, regardless of its affiliation, that approached the administrative border of Zuwara would be considered a legitimate target and would face direct fire without warning.
The Libyan Ministry of Interior had previously announced the reopening of the Ra’s Ajdir border crossing following maintenance and upgrades, after postponing the reopening last week due to technical reasons. The ministry’s spokesperson, Major General Abdel Moneim Al-Arabi, told “Sputnik” that Libyan Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi, along with his Tunisian counterpart, officially reopened the Ra’s Ajdir crossing in early July.
The crossing was initially reopened for passenger traffic only, with expectations that commercial traffic would resume later.
In June, protesters had blocked the Ra’s Ajdir crossing, citing grievances against a series of decisions made by the GNU’s Interior Minister, which they claimed were racially and ethnically motivated against Libya’s Amazigh population.
The reopening of the Ra’s Ajdir border crossing between Libya and Tunisia has been delayed several times due to tensions in the surrounding areas.
Zuwara has also witnessed military skirmishes at its eastern entrance in recent days following the entry of an external military force into the city.
The Ra’s Ajdir border crossing previously experienced armed clashes on March 19 on the Libyan side between GNU Interior Ministry forces and local militants, prompting both the Libyan and Tunisian authorities to close the crossing.
