Twelve Tunisian nationals have been released after being held for two days in the Al-Mutrad area of Zawiya, western Libya, according to Mustapha Abdelkebir, head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights.
Abdelkebir said the Tunisian citizens had been detained by families of Libyan nationals who are currently held in Tunisia. The incident took place on a public road and was carried out on the basis of identity, he told Diwan FM’s 60 Minutes programme.
He explained that the release of the Tunisian nationals followed joint coordination between security and official authorities in Tunisia and Libya, with the involvement of local elders in the area. Their vehicles and personal belongings were also returned.
According to Abdelkebir, the detention was an attempt by relatives of Libyan detainees in Tunisia to exert pressure and push for the release of their family members. He said the Libyans have been held in Tunisia for around a year and a half in connection with ongoing legal cases and judicial procedures.
The case raised concern because it involved civilians being used as a means of pressure in a legal dispute between families and authorities. Abdelkebir said the matter was handled through coordination and mediation, which helped secure the safe release of the Tunisians.
The head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that all those released are in good health. Some of them continued their journey towards Tripoli, while others left Libya through the Ras Jedir border crossing.
The incident comes amid continued movement between Tunisia and Libya through land border crossings, especially Ras Jedir, which remains one of the most important routes for travel and trade between the two neighbouring countries.
It also points to the sensitivity of cross-border legal and security issues between Libya and Tunisia, particularly when citizens from either country are detained in connection with judicial cases. Rights groups have repeatedly called for such matters to be handled through official legal channels and diplomatic coordination, rather than through pressure on civilians.
The release of the 12 Tunisians ended a two-day ordeal and showed the role of joint security coordination, official intervention, and local mediation in preventing the incident from escalating further.
