Libya fully reopens the main border crossing with Tunisia at Ras Ijdir

Three months after being closed due to violent hostilities, the main border crossing between Libya and Tunisia at Ras Ijdir was fully restored on Monday, according to the interior minister of Libya in Tripoli.

The border crossing was only partially restored in mid-June for humanitarian and medical situations, as well as special instances with licenses from the interior ministries of Algeria and Tunisia, once peace had returned to the area.

During the reopening ceremony, which was attended by the interior minister of the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, Emad Trabulsi, and his Tunisian counterpart, Khaled Nouri, several ambulances from the Libyan side were observed traveling into Tunisia.

At the border, Trabulsi informed reporters, “Two hours after this ceremony, Libyan citizens will be able to go to Tunisia.”

It was Nouri who said that the border was “reopened for all activities except smuggling”.

The primary border crossing point in western Libya is Ras Ijdir, which is frequently used by Tunisian businesses transporting goods in the other way and Libyans traveling to Tunisia for medical care.

Since an uprising in 2011, Libya has seen minimal stability and is divided between factions on the east and west, with opposing administrations in charge of each region. International recognition is granted to the GNU, which rules Tripoli and the northwest region of Libya; the parliament in the east does not share this recognition.

Living close to the western border, Trabulsi urged Libyans to assist local security authorities “in order to combat smuggling and illegal migration.”

According to him, Libya will “if capabilities are provided” open two more border crossings with Tunisia. There is a small, still-open bridge between the two countries at Wazen-Dhehiba in addition to Ras Ijdir.