The Tunisian Ministry of Interior has postponed the reopening of the Ras Ajdir border crossing with Libya to June 24, following a request from the Libyan authorities.
The Tunisian Ministry of Interior issued a statement announcing, “Based on a request from the Libyan authorities to postpone the reopening of the Ras Ajdir border crossing to Monday, June 24, 2024, the Ministry of Interior informs that the crossing will remain in its current state until its reopening.”
The Tunisian statement added that “emergency, medical, and diplomatic traffic will continue.”
The Ras Ajdir border crossing between Libya and Tunisia is located in the city of Ben Guerdane in the Medenine Governorate, southeastern Tunisia, approximately 30 kilometers from the city center and 180 kilometers from the Libyan capital, Tripoli. The crossing serves as a gateway for goods transportation and citizen movement.
On March 19, the Libyan authorities in Tripoli announced the closure of the Ras Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia following an attack by armed groups on the security forces stationed at the crossing.
At that time, the Ministry of Interior of the Libyan Government of National Unity stated, “Immediate instructions were issued to close the crossing after groups outside the law attacked the crossing to create chaos and disrupt operations due to the prevention of violations deemed a right by those engaging in such acts.”
Tunisia also announced the temporary closure of the crossing for security reasons after armed clashes erupted on the Libyan side, according to a report by the official Tunisian Radio Tataouine at that time.
The closure of the crossing resulted in halted trade and disrupted passenger movement, sparking protests on the Tunisian side. Protesters demanded the reopening of the crossing, which is the most significant land border point between Libya and Tunisia, making it a target for competing Libyan armed groups seeking control over it.
