Tunisia: Counter-terrorism Forces Chase Extremists in Kaf

Counter-terrorism forces in Tunisia conducted a wide-scope military operation in al-Kaf (160 kilometers in the northwest of Tunis), which led to exchanging fire with an armed terrorist group.

The operation continued throughout the night from Tuesday until Wednesday in an attempt to tighten the grip on a group that was hiding in abandoned buildings.

In this context, Interior Ministry spokesman General Sufyan al-Zaq denied the death of a terrorist member during the operation unlike what has been reported by the local media. Zaq affirmed that combing operations were ongoing, covering abandoned buildings in Kaf that were likely used as a shelter by terrorists a while ago.

In the same context, Tunisian security sources revealed that the chased-after members belong to Uqba ibn Nafi battalion.

During the past years, Tunisian terrorist members took shelter in the western mountains of the country. They are divided into two groups: Uqba ibn Nafi battalion, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and Jund al-Khilafah, an affiliate of the ISIS terror group.

Experts in the field of combating terrorism estimate that these members are 300 tops but they received support from sleeper cells in Tunisia.

In March 2014, terrorist militants targeted a bus transporting officers from Kaf, leading to the death of four and the injury of nine. The criminal chamber specialized in terrorist cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance issued, respectively, a 30-year imprisonment sentence and a 20-year imprisonment sentence in this case for Yassin al-Khazri and Faisal al-Jabali.