Tunisia denies hosting US drones for Libya operations

Military officials in Tunisia have rejected claims that the country is hosting a base for US drone operations against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in neighboring Libya.

Tunisia’s Defense Minister Farhat Horchani on Thursday ruled out any possibility that foreign forces could have direct access to Tunisian military bases or run their own in the country.

“We don't -- and won't -- have a foreign military base in Tunisia," Horchani said, adding, “We were one of the few first countries to oppose a foreign military intervention in Libya.”

A Tunisian Defense Ministry spokesman also said on Thursday that the North African country has never allowed Washington to operate unmanned planes from its territory for anti-Daesh missions.

"Tunisian soil has never been and never will be used to strike targets in Libya. The drones are used by Tunisians and no one else," Belhassen Oueslati said, adding, "As part of Tunisian-US bilateral cooperation, we have acquired drones to train our military personnel to use this technology and to control our southeastern border with Libya and detect any suspicious movement."

The remarks came after US media claimed that Washington has expanded its deployment of drones to North Africa as part of a secret program.

SS