Libya-Tunisia main border crossing reopening halted after armed groups block road

Amazigh protesters accuse Tripoli government of excluding them from talks on Ras Ajdir crossing due to their ethnic background

Vehicles cross from Libya into Tunisia at Ras Ajdir border crossing in 2021. AFP

Protesters and armed groups from the city of Zuwara who accuse Libya's Tripoli-based government of racism towards them for being predominantly Amazigh forced ministers to cancel the reopening of the country's main border crossing with Tunisia.

Men with weapons and protesters blocked the road to the crossing at the coastal town of Ras Ajdir in north-west Libya, leading the Government of National Unity to cancel its reopening.

Demonstrators were from the coastal city of Zuwara, the population of which is predominantly from the Amazigh ethnic group – also known as Berbers.

The crossing, which was shut in March following armed clashes between Zuwara residents and security forces, was scheduled to fully open on Monday.

This would have been the result of an agreement between the Minister of Interior Imed Trabelsi and his Tunisian counterpart, Khaled Nouri.

Ras Ajdir border crossing has been the subject of previous conflict between Zuwara residents and Mr Trabelsi.

Mr Trabelsi has repeatedly accused tribal leaders’ of running the city according to their own rules, and said that “Zuwara cannot operate outside of state’s institutions”.

Zuwara residents say Mr Trabelsi excluded them from the negotiation process with Tunisian parties on the important crossing.

On Sunday, Zuwara leaders said Mr Trabelsi adopted “an ethnic and racist approach towards the Amazighs of Libya”.

They said the Libyan government has been marginalising and discriminating against local security forces and removing them from their duties in the city because of their Amazigh ethnic background.

Following the renewed protests, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah met on Monday with a delegation from the Zuwara Municipal Council and a number of Amazigh tribal leaders to review their demands and service conditions at the Ras Ajdir border crossing, according to a Facebook post from the Government of National Unity.

“Developing the Ras Ajdir crossing is a necessary step towards providing vital services that many Libyans need,” Mr Dbeibah said.

He ordered the reopening of the Abu Kammash road to the border crossing and the completion of procedures to reopen it, in accordance with the plan agreed with the Tunisian government.

Libya's Ras Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia, pictured in 2021. AFP

The Ministry of Interior confirmed last Saturday that they had finished all the necessary procedures and arrangements to reopen the border crossing, following a meeting with the Tunisian side.

In preparation for the reopening, the two countries have established six electronic registration centres for Libyan citizens’ cars and decided to exempt them from entrance fees, on condition that no armed clashes take place.

Authorities also said that they have found a solution to issues with many people on both sides of the border having similar names. In the past, this led to innocent people being mistakenly identified as wanted criminals or militants.

Libya has rival governments, the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity in the west and the rival House of Representatives, based in Tobruk, in the east.