Tunisia closes border with Libya after fierce clashes

Tunisia’s border with Libya was closed on Tuesday after a brazen attack by suspected ISIL gunmen on a frontier town left at least 55 people dead. Gunmen attacked the eastern town of Ben Gardane on Monday and fighting continued past nightfall.  Tunisian Prime Minister Hassid Essid said the assault was an Islamic State of Iraq […]

Tunisia’s border with Libya was closed on Tuesday after a brazen attack by suspected ISIL gunmen on a frontier town left at least 55 people dead. Gunmen attacked the eastern town of Ben Gardane on Monday and fighting continued past nightfall.  Tunisian Prime Minister Hassid Essid said the assault was an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attempt to carve out a stronghold on the border.
“This is an unprecedented attack, planned and organised. Its goal was probably to take control of this area and to announce a new emirate,” Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said.