Sharjah24 – AFP: Travellers began to cross between Tunisia and Libya again on Saturday after a seven-month border closure due to novel coronavirus restrictions was lifted.
The closure at the end of March had a severe impact on trade between the two countries and left Libyans and Tunisians stranded on either side of the frontier.
On the Libyan side of the border, several cars waited to cross into Tunisia while some people, wheeling luggage, walked to the other side.
Many Tunisians travel to Libya for work, while Libyans go regularly to Tunisia for medical treatment.
Health workers wearing face masks and blue personal protective gear gathered with sanitising equipment.
Tunisia closed its border with Libya in March as part of measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In April, more than 600 Tunisians stuck in the neighbouring North African country made their way back home after arriving at the frontier en masse, with Tunisian border guards letting them through.
A Tunisian diplomatic source said 20,000 Tunisians were currently in Libya.
Air links are due to resume Sunday, Libyan and Tunisian authorities said.
Tunisia had reopened its borders at the end of June, allowing travel from Europe during the tourist season, but had kept them closed to neighbouring Libya and Algeria.
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