Tunisian Petrol Smuggler Killed by Algerian Border Guards

A Tunisian petrol smuggler was killed Thursday by Algerian border guards, confirmed the head of the Investigation and Inspection Unit in Tabarka, Monji Boughanmi, to Tunisia Live.

According to Boughanmi, the victim’s name was Ousa’ief Soltani. He was a 39 year old man with a wife and two children. He worked daily but entered into petrol smuggling as a secondary way of earning money.

Ousa’ief was shot down on the Algerian border, a few miles from the town of Ain Draham,  located on the Northwestern edge of Tunisia, near the coastal city of Tabarka.

Boughanmi stated “Ousa’ief was shot in the back when he refused to halt, and attempted to escape from the Algerian guards.” Ousa’ief’s funeral took place yesterday, he added.

Ousa’ief was accompanied by another unidentified man at the border. His partner, however, was able to successfully escape from the border guards.

Boughanmi explained that such incidents occur often: “ It is not the first time that the Algerian guards have arrested or shot Tunisians illegally crossing the border. There was another incident that happened some time ago, in which they opened fire on a Tunisian fishing boat that illegally entered Algerian waters and tried to escape from border guards. In that case the captain was shot.”

“In order to ensure people’s safety, borders should never be crossed illegally. Whether Algerian or Tunisian, people should respect the law. Unfortunately the number of smugglers has increased since the revolution. Although they know that they are putting their lives at risk, they continue with their activities,” he added.

Boughanmi concluded by saying that investigations are still ongoing to determine the exact causes of the shooting.