Clashes on Tunisian border with suspected militants

Tunisian military sources have told Arabstoday that clashes have taken place between the Tunisian army and unidentified individuals in a tribal province. The individuals were driving in cars near the Zkir border, the tri-border region between Tunisia, Algeria and Libya. Details remain sketchy, but the local radio station told Arabstoday that “two cars carrying weapons and people tried to sneak into Tunisia from Algerian, but the Tunisian desert Corps stopped them and took control of one of the vehicles." "The Tunisia authorities conducted a search on the car", the station said. The terrain near the Zkir border is difficult to patrol so is a haven for drugs and weapons smuggling. Conflict also broke out in the region in late August, after the Tunisian army clashed with a convoy of 15 armed Libyan vehicles. Scores were wounded from both sides. The Tunisian army was unable to identify the intruders. Tunisian authorities are highly concerned about the infiltration of militants from Algeria, particularly members of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Authorities have already thwarted many infiltration attempts and have seized considerable quantities of weapons and drugs. The Tunisian Ministry of Interior has warned of the likelihood of a terrorist attack on Tunisian soil. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry Hisham Al-Maodb said on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary: "We have information suggesting that al Qaeda intends to launch terrorist attacks in retaliation for the assassination of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and to mark the ten year anniversary of the attacks." "Tunisia is among the countries targeted by this organisation."