Ben Guerdane Border Crisis Between Tunisia and Libya

Driving their trucks they go into the desert near the frontier with Libya, around 5km from it, as they carry a live lamb to prepare a especial dinner under a starry sky. The local government from Libya has closed the border for the second day, so they decided to hang out in open air to destress a little bit. The day before one of them tried to cross the border to bring petrol from the neighbor country but he had to take the way back when Tunisian soldiers started to shoot against his car.

Located at south of Tunisia, Ben Guerdane, a district of almost 80 thousand people, is under pressure due to the crisis caused by the economic relation with Libya, the parallel market and, particularly, after the attack committed by ISIS, when an attempt to seize the city, on March, let 55 people killed (36 of them terrorists, 12 of the security forces and 7 civilians), according to Primer Minister of Tunisia Habib Essid.

The parallel market, especially the petrol or diesel business, is getting more dangerous not just because the presence of the ISIS in the region but also because the effort of the Tunisian Army to keep the border safe. The smugglers have to drive with the lights off in alternative roads in the desert and make the way back trying to scape from the military forces that control the border and maintain the surveillance on the trenches which are easily overcome by the smuggler’s trucks.

The 2014 census indicates the total of unemployed people is about 18,58% of the economically active population in Ben Guerdane. The lack of job could be one the reasons for who tries to survive with the illegal or informal work. “We are smugglers because we don’t have other options. Despite of all the situation in our city, we don’t support Daesh, we are not terrorists. We just want to make our life better than we have now”, explains Mohamed Krayn, 22 years.

The smugglers cut the lamb in pieces as they leave their trucks on a concreted platform on the desert at the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The smugglers have to drive with the lights off in alternative roads in the desert and make the way back trying to scape from the military forces that control the border and maintain the surveillance on the trenches which are easily overcome by the smuggler’s trucks.(Photo/Leo Correa)
A lamb is left on the floor to pour out its blood before smugglers make a grill on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. Driving their trucks they go into the desert near the frontier with Libya, around 5km from it, as they carry a live lamb to prepare a especial dinner under a starry sky. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Petrol smugglers hold a lamb as one of them prepares to cut it on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The parallel market, especially the petrol or diesel business, is getting more dangerous not just because the presence of the ISIS in the region but also because the effort of the Tunisian Army to keep the border safe. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Lighted by mobile phone flashlight petrol smugglers prepare a lamb to eat on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The parallel market, especially the petrol or diesel business, is getting more dangerous not just because the presence of the ISIS in the region but also because the effort of the Tunisian Army to keep the border safe. (Photo/Leo Correa)
A petrol smuggler warms himself up on the fire on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The district of Ben Guerdane, with the population of almost 80 thousand people and located at southeast of Tunisia, is under difficult condition due to the crisis caused by the economic relation with Libya, the parallel market and, particularly, after the attack committed by ISIS. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Petrol smugglers gather to eat a lamb on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. "We are smugglers because we don’t have other options. Despite of all the situation in our city, we don’t support Daesh, we are not terrorists. We just want to make our life better than we have now”, explains Mohamed Krayn. (Photo/Leo Correa)
A gas smuggler serves tea next to the fire on the desert in the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The district of Ben Guerdane, with the population of almost 80 thousand people and located at southeast of Tunisia, is under difficult condition due to the crisis caused by the economic relation with Libya, the parallel market and, particularly, after the attack committed by ISIS. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Gallons of illegal petrol are lighted by a fluorescent lamp on a table at the side road in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Monday, May, 2, 2016. According to the president of the Union Workers Mohsen Lechiheb, up to 70 percent of the population in Ben Guerdane depends directly or indirectly of the parallel market with Libya. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Gallons of illegal petrol are displayed in a makeshift shop on the side road in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The 2014 census indicates the total of unemployed people is about 18,58% of the economically active population in Ben Guerdane. The lack of job could be one the reasons for whom tries to survive with the illegal work. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Mohamed Yahza pours illegal gasoline into a tank of a car on the road next to the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. Feeling like he stuck in a situation where life appears to only depending of what the relationship with Libya can bring, Mohamed Yahza, 36 years, works on the road selling petrol in gallons. “Here there is no factories, no projects, no jobs to look for. If the government do nothing people will die here”, alert Yahza, father of two daughters and since 2011 he sells petrol for living.(Photo/Leo Correa)
Mohamed Yahza walks into a warehouse of illegal gasoline on the sideroad next to the border with Libya, in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. Feeling like he stuck in a situation where life appears to only depending of what the relationship with Libya can bring, Yahza, 36 years, works on the road selling petrol in gallons. “Here there is no factories, no projects, no jobs to look for. If the government do nothing people will die here”. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Camels heads are seen hanged to sale in a traditional market of Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Monday, May, 2, 2016. "The border is the only breath for the economy of this town, so things will get worse if there is no solution. when the border is closed everybody is affected, from the bakery, the seller, to the entire community”, says the president of the Union Workers Mohsen Lechiheb. (Photo/Leo Correa)
People buy peaches on a street market in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. The district of Ben Guerdane, with the population of almost 80 thousand people and located at southeast of Tunisia, is under difficult condition due to the crisis caused by the economic relation with Libya, the parallel market and, particularly, after the attack committed by ISIS, when an attempt to seize the city, on March, let 55 people killed (36 of them terrorists, 12 of the security forces and 7 civilians), according to Primer Minister of Tunisia Habib Essid.(Photo/Leo Correa)
Chibani Thabet, 75 who fought for the indepedency of his country, poses for the picture in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Wednesday, May, 4, 2016. "I am afraid the young people could choose the terrorism due to the lack of opportunities and jobs. The situation is worse in the border, in the villages where there are no jobs and people are also affected by the situation in Libya”, says Thabet. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Saida Gharbi, 18, left, walks with her mother, towards one of the areas that happened a firefighting between the terrorists and the local police in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Monday, May, 2, 2016. 7th March is now a trauma that will take time to recover from it. One of the attacks started behind of her house. "We were living peacefully here but suddenly we woke up hearing the shooting that was coming from everywhere, I still feel afraid, even at night I have nightmares”, says Gharbi. (Photo/Leo Correa)
Mabrouck Marzoudui, 65, looks to the camera as he talks about the confront between the local police and the terrorists on the backyard of his house in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Monday, May, 2, 2016. “I am proud to take part protecting my country. I was born here and I am ready to die for my country”, emphasizes Marzoudui. (Photo/Leo Correa)
A road sign indicates the way to the city of Tripoli in Libya on a road of Ben Guerdane, Tunisia, Tuesday, May, 3, 2016. "We are fighting against terrorism and the bad situation in Libya, the neighbor country which with we have a lot of trades and commercial exchanges, impacts the Tunisian economy”, points out, Yousseff Chahed, Minister of Local Affairs of Tunisia. (Photo/Leo Correa)