The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) has said it would mobilize alongside national forces to prevent attempts to use Tunisian territory as a base for US, Turkish, or other foreign intervention in Libya.
In its statement, the UGTT called on all levels of authority to reject partisan statements and to protect the country from involvement in the destruction of Libya.
Tunisian politicians have become entangled in the conflict, with a number publicly taking sides.
This is in addition to recent satements made by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) that revealed a strategy to use Tunisian territory for US intervention in the Libyan conflict.
The UGTT called on the Tunisian President and MPs to submit a legislative initiative prohibiting the involvement of Tunisia against “the interest of Tunisia and the Libyan people in the Arab region”.
The labour organization called for security measures to ensure the protection of its borders and prevent the movement of terrorists to and from Libya.
The UGTT said it rejected all kinds of foreign interference in Libya and hoped for a political settlement through dialogue and the cessation of all hostilities.
“The situation in Libya is worsening after the direct intervention of several countries and the transfer of thousands of terrorists who have suffered severe setbacks in Syria”, said the UGTT.
It claimed that this volatile situation constituted a direct threat to Tunisia in terms of territorial integrity, as well as economically and socially.
AFRICOM issued a statement raising the possibility of using a security assistance brigade on Tunisian soil, linked with developments in Libya.
The US Embassy in Tunis clarified that the security forces mentioned in the AFRICOM press release were a simple training unit in the framework of a military assistance program, “which in no way involves military combat forces”.
On 28 May, Tunisian Defence Minister Imed Hazgui held a telephone conversation with AFRICOM Commander Stephen Townsend.
The two discussed existing military cooperation and ways to further strengthen them.
They agreed to reschedule bilateral activities, including joint exercises that had been postponed due to the COVID-19 health emergency.