Magharebia

Libya on Sunday (December 4th) pledged to take urgent measures to stop any breach of Tunisia's territorial integrity, TAP reported. Libyan Interior Minister Faouzi Abdelaal told his Tunisian counterpart Habib Essid that police, military and customs officers would be deployed on the border with Tunisia to prevent further incidents.

Only those fighters attached to the interior and defence ministries will be tasked with securing the Libya-Tunisia border, while "the customs department will be responsible for border traffic", Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagur said Sunday.

Steps have already been taken to protect the crossing point stormed last week by Libyan gunman.

"There was a meeting by Libyan border officials and it was decided to ask the rebels to move back two kilometres from the (Ras Jedir) border," AFP quoted a Libyan military official as saying on Saturday. "We don't want this to be a problem between the two governments, Colonel Mohamed Jarafa said.

Recent security breaches prompted Tunisia to close the Ras Jedir and Dhiba border crossings. On Saturday night, a Tunisian border guard unit was attacked with heavy fire while patrolling the desert area of Sidi Toui, TAP reported. One of the four cars that attacked the border guards was carrying a rocket launcher.