The interior ministry announced Tuesday that security forces had foiled operations by some militants of the Islamic State group (ISIS) to seize the town of Ben Guerdane, at the Libyan border. The ministry pointed out that the militants sought to attack police and military establishments in the Southern town with the aim of controlling the territory. ISIS militants assaulted the town last year in March in prepared attacks against security units. Thirteen security forces were killed in the days-long counterattack to retake the town and fifty-five militants were reported killed. Authorities are also facing the return of jihadists who left the country to fight in ISIS ranks in Libya, Iraq and Syria.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 16, 2017 15:11 UTC