Return of Extremist Militants from Syria Sparks Fear in Tunisia

Local Editor

Around 400 Tunisian extremists have returned from fighting in the Syrian war, the interior minister said, sparking fears that the battle-hardened militants could fuel violence back home.

Since the 2011 revolution, Tunisia has been rocked by sporadic violence linked to extremists.

Numerous Tunisians have joined the ranks of extremists armed groups , raising fears in the North African country of further violence on their return.

"We have managed to prevent nearly 8,000 people from going to Syria," Lotfi Ben Jeddou said late Monday, speaking after a security and counter-terrorism meeting.
He further added: "We don't have exact figures for those who have returned, but they are estimated to number around 400."

Ben Jeddou admitted that the authorities had failed to arrest many of the extremists who have returned home due to a "legal loophole," without further elaborating.
"But we are following them very closely. We have built up a data base... They have acquired experience and training and must be monitored," he said.

Last year, the public prosecutor opened an inquiry into networks recruiting and facilitating the departure to Syria of young Tunisians fighters.

At the time the interior ministry said it had stepped up airport checks to try to prevent would-be combatants from heading there.

Much of the deadly violence witnessed in Tunisia since the January 2011 uprising has been blamed on Ansar al-Sharia, an extremist movement accused of having links to al-Qaeda.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team