Tunisia extends buffer zone on Libya border for another year

Tunisia’s military buffer zone along its border with Libya will remain in place for another year until August 2026, according to the Libya Review on July 30th.

The military buffer zone was established in 2013 to counter threats posed by the border including arms trafficking, terrorist infiltration and the movement of irregular migrants. The Tunisian authorities have not stated when the zone will or could be lifted.

Stretching across Tunisia’s southern border with Libya and parts of Algeria, entry into the military buffer zone is strictly prohibited without prior authorization from the Tunisian military authorities.

The reason for the extension is Tunisia’s fears over the growing violence in western Libya with armed factions present near the border, and that the instability in the region could spill over into Tunisia.

The extension also represents Tunisia’s preparation for potential retaliatory attacks from groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the Libya Review.

The fight for power between armed militias in Libya has led to a power vacuum and weak state control around the border, meaning the area is a hotspot for smuggling routes and irregular migration flows.

The military buffer zone is primarily a security measure, but also acts as a strategic line of defence against the effects of the conflict in Libya that could spread further outside its borders.

Since 2011 Libya’s governance has been divided into two rival administrations based in the west and east of the nation, which has led to violent clashes between groups and fractured international relations.

Tunisia’s fears of the violence and instability in Libya and at the border affecting their nation are not unfounded- in June of 2024 a Tunisian soldier on the border with Libya was killed in an attack.

In March of 2024 the Ras Jdir border crossing between Tunisia and Libya was temporarily closed following an outbreak of armed clashes.

Libya Review/Maghrebi