Months into the closure of Tunisia's main border crossing with Libya, a haven for smugglers, shops are shuttered and unemployment has soared in the already-marginalised desert region, merchants say. More than three months later, Tunisian merchants in towns like Ben Guerdane, around 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of the border, are suffering. Summertime tourism is also set for a blow as Libyans usually flock to Tunisia's island of Djerba, north of Ben Guerdane, Gzam added. Ben Guerdane hosts vast marketplaces of car and mechanical parts, household appliances and clothing, at times even supplying cities in the north. It remains unclear when the border crossing will reopen and the hardship in Ben Guerdane might ease.

Source: Libya Today June 27, 2024 13:28 UTC