Tunisia backs a plan for German forces to come to the country to train troops from neighboring Libya for the fight against Daesh militants, the Tunisian defense minister said on Tuesday.
The Daesh militants have taken advantage of political chaos and a security vacuum in Libya to expand their presence there, taking control of the city of Sirte and staging frequent attacks.
Western officials are discussing ways to counter the group, including through the use of airstrikes and special forces operations, though plans for outside assistance have been hampered by the failure of a UN-backed unity government in Libya to win wide approval in the country.
Last week a German delegation visited Tunisia to discuss a training program for Libyan forces.
“We agree on the principle of the project,” Tunisian Defense Minister Farhat Harchani said in an interview with the TAP state news agency.
He gave no details on the nature of the training or when it might happen, but said Tunisian forces would also take part.
“We will participate in the formation of the nucleus of the Libyan Army and security forces in Tunisia. This is our duty and we will help Libya to get it done,” he said.
Tunisia has been struggling to contain its own militant threat, and thousands of Tunisians have gone to fight in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Authorities say gunmen who killed dozens of tourists at a museum and a beach resort in Tunisia last year trained in Libya before returning home.
Source: Arab News