Gray: No US role in Operation Remada

The United States' ambassador to Tunisia, Gordon Gray, has denied that US troops participated in a Tunisian military campaign against an al-Qaeda training camp in the Islamic Maghreb. The ambassador said in a statement released a the end of his tenure in Tunis, that the US played no role in Operation Remada, which saw the destruction of three trucks loaded with weapons in the desert of Tataouine, in the country's far south, last week. "Tunisians are really lucky to have such a professional army ... it has proved extremely efficient throughout the revolution and transitional periods as well as in its last missions in the south," added Gray. Tunisian media had reported last week that reconnaissance planes from the US Sixth Fleet helped the Tunisian army monitor groups following al-Qaeda in the desert. The planes reportedly helped the air force perform its last mission known as Operation Remada, in which the Tunisian defence ministry announced the destruction of three trucks and the seizure of arms including mortars, anti-aircraft and anti-tank rocket launchers, in addition to modern communications devices. Gray however said the US was ready to provide military assistance to Tunisia. Tunisian Defence Minister Abdelkarim Zbidi had asked, during his meeting with the US ambassador on June 19, the United States to provide "logistical support" to the Tunisian army to strengthen its operational ability and help it carry out its duties to guarantee stability on its borders with Libya and Algeria.