Tunisia Seals Libya Border after Violence
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Tunisia has closed its main border crossing with Libya after thousands of stranded Egyptian and foreign nationals, fleeing ongoing fighting and violence in Libya, tried to break through the passage, the Tunisian news agency said.
The unrest erupted when thousands of Egyptians, barred from entering Tunisia because they had no visa, held a protest then broke through part of a fence at the Ras Ajdir crossing, Tunisian security officials said.
The news comes as Tunisia urged its estimated 50,000 to 60,000 nationals living in Libya to leave "as soon as possible" because of violence that has raged there since mid-July.
"The ministry of foreign affairs urges Tunisians who find themselves in Libyan territory to return home as soon as possible," a ministry statement said.
The border clashes was the second incident at the border in as many days, as thousands of Libyans stream into neighbouring Tunisia, along with foreign nationals.
The police responded by shooting in the air and firing tear gas. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.
Tunisia is the only escape route as fighting escalates in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where rival armed groups have been battling for weeks for control over the airport.
An AP reporter at the crossing said no one managed to make it to the other side and security forces used vehicles to physically block access.
After a Tunisian police officer was wounded by gunfire from the Libyan side of the border, authorities closed the crossing, the official Tunisian news agency TAP reported.
