By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 27 September, 2013:
The Tunisian border crossing at Ras Jadir remained closed today for the fourth day. Traffic has . . .[restrict]been piling up waiting to cross while at the southern Wazen-Dehiba crossing there is also congestion, the Tunisian news agency TAP has stated.
According to a Libyan immigration official at Ras Jedir, the Tunisians will now not even let ambulances across.
The original report that the border was closed over of an incident in which a Tunisian man from Ben Guardane was attacked by Libyans and then his family tried to block the road appears to be something of an understatement.
The Libyan immigration official, who does not want to be named, has told the Libya Herald that he was witness three days ago to Libyan militiamen on the border shooting at Tunisian security officials and rampaging into Tunisia in 4X4 vehicles.
He claims that during an incident on the Tunisian side of the border involving Libyans, the Tunisians shot into the air to calm the situation, however Libyan militiamen then rushed over and started shooting at the Tunisians who, he claimed, fled. He said that the Libyan militia were ”out of control” and without any leader. “We said ‘don’t shoot’,” but they did not listen, he stated. He claims that the militiamen drove six kilometres into Tunisia before turning back.
Attempts to verify the claims with Tunisian officials today were unsuccessful although yesterday an official told this newspaper that they were “very busy” trying to sort out the border issue.
TAP refers only on “incidents” at Ras Jedir. [/restrict]
