Interior Minister Imad Tarabulsi has pledged to regain control of the Ras Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia "even if it requires using force."
During a security meeting held in Tripoli, Tarabulsi said they would use any necessary measures to retrieve control of the crossing point and were waiting for a decision from the highest authorities in the country.
"This is a national issue, unrelated to any city or tribe. We are far from any political rivalries, and our goal is to achieve security and preserve the nation's resources," the Interior Ministry quoted Tarabulsi as saying.
The minister also commended the efforts of the Director and members of the Law Enforcement Management at the General Directorate of Security Operations, the Security Directorate of Ras Ajdir Crossing, the Passport and Nationality Department, and all security agencies affiliated with the ministry.
The Ras Ajdir crossing between Libya and Tunisia was closed by both sides on Tuesday morning following clashes involving law enforcement forces appointed by the Ministry of Interior and an armed group described by the ministry as "acting outside the law" who aimed to take control of the crossing to facilitate smuggling operations, according to the Interior Ministry.
