Tripoli, 23 April:
Libya has honoured Tunisians who played a key role in the 17 February revolution by channelling military and humanitarian aid . . .[restrict]across the border into the Nafusa Mountains.
Among those Tunisians thanked for their help during the uprising were Defence Minister Abdul-Karim Al-Zubaidi, army chief of staff Rachid Ammar and Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol chief Farhat Ben Wahiba.
Aknan praised the important and significant role played by Tunisia in helping their fellow North Africans eliminate the 42 years of Qaddafi’s tyranny. He added: “We in the Libyan National Transitional Council, look forward to further our integration and cooperation with Tunisia in all areas.”
In response Al-Zubaidi said he accepted Libya’s thanks on behalf of all Tunisians . He then stressed the importance of stability on the Tunisian-Libyan border and the way both countries would benefit from this. Since the revolution there has been a number of cross-border incidents, often linked to smuggling, which have strained relations between Tripoli and Tunis.
During the revolution, Tunisia supported revolutionary fighters in the Nafusa mountains by providing them with logistical back-up, transferring military supplies through Tunisian territory. They also evacuated and treated injured fighters and civilians and accepted Libyan refugees who had fled the conflict. [/restrict]
