One of the deadliest clashes seen so far between Tunisian forces and extremist attackers left at least 45 people dead on Monday near Tunisia’s border with libya, the Government said.
The fighting in the border town of Ben Guerdane in eastern Tunisia comes amid increasing concern that violent extremism in libya could destabilise the region.
“This is an unprecedented attack, planned and organised, and whose goal was probably to take control of this area and to announce a new emirate,” said Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi.
The Government closed its two border crossings with libya following the attack that left 28 “terrorists,” seven civilians and 10 members of Tunisia’s security forces dead, the Tunisian interior and defense ministries said in a statement.
A 12-year-old girl was among those who were killed. libya’s chaos, five years after the uprising that led to the ouster and killing of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, has allowed ISIS to take control of several cities. The divided country is ruled by two parliaments: an internationally recognised body based in the eastern city of Tobruk and a rival Government, backed by Islamist-allied militias, that controls the capital, Tripoli.