The Battle of Ben Guerdane occurred on March 7, 2016 in the city of
Ben Gardane
Ben Gardane or Bengardane ( aeb, بنڤردان or , '; french: Benguerdene) is a coastal town in south eastern Tunisia, close to the border with Libya. It is located at around .
History
During the Second World War Ben Gardane Airfield was used ...
in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
on the border with
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Su ...
. Islamic State forces attempted to seize the city, but were repulsed by the
Tunisian military
The Tunisian Armed Forces ( ar, القوات المسلحة التونسية) consist of the Tunisian Army, Air Force and Navy.
As of 2019, Tunisia had armed forces with more than 150,000 active-duty personnel, of which 80,000 were conscript ...
. The clashes continued also on 8 and 9 of March in the area.
The attack
Armed groups of militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya and Ansar al-Sharia began the attack on the town by grouping around and seizing the local mosque. The mosque loudspeakers were used to broadcast a message and a signal for the attack on government facilities. The Tunisian National Guard, military barracks, and police posts were simultaneously ambushed, in an attempt to take over Ben Guerdane and establish an "emirate" within Tunisia. The fighting continued between the attackers and Tunisian military and police reinforcements, until clashes ended in mid-morning, and continued pursuit operations in the vicinity lasted the rest of the day.
Casualties
The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of National Defense put the death toll at 55 armed militants, 13 security forces members and seven civilians.
Reactions
* :
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the Organs of the United Nations, six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international security, international peace and security, recommending the admi ...
condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attack. In a statement, the council considered that “any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.” It also “underlined the need to bring perpetrators... of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice,” reaffirming “the need for all States to combat” this scourge by all means.
See also
*
2014 Chaambi Mountains attack
On 16 July 2014, militants from the Uqba Ibn Nafi Battalion attacked two checkpoints in the Jebel ech Chambi, Chaambi Mountains killing fourteen Tunisian soldiers and injuring twenty-five. The 2014 Chaambi Mountains attack is the deadliest militan ...
*
2015 Bardo National Museum attack
*
2015 Sousse attacks
On 26 June 2015, a mass shooting occurred at the tourist resort at Port El Kantaoui, about 10 kilometres north of the city of Sousse, Tunisia. Thirty-eight people, 30 of whom were British, were killed when a gunman, Seifeddine Rezgui, attacked ...
*
2015 Tunis bombing
On 24 November 2015, a bus carrying Tunisian presidential guards exploded, killing 12, on a principal road in Tunis, Tunisia. ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack. The bomber, who also died in the attack, was identified as Houssem Abdelli. ...
External links
*
Bibliography
* ''Epopee of Ben Guerdane: Secrets and Mysteries of the Battle of March 2016'', Editions Sotumedias, Tunis, 2020 .
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Ben Guerdane
Ben Gardane
2016 in Tunisia
Arab Winter in Tunisia
Attacks in Africa in 2016
Battles involving Tunisia
Conflicts in 2016
Military operations involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Mass murder in 2016
March 2016 events in Africa