Uneasy calm in Ras Jedir

An uneasy calm is prevailing at the Ras Jedir border crossing with the violent fights taking place between rebels and forces loyal to Gaddafi in the adjoining regions of Zouara and El Aguila. To deal with any eventuality, units of the National Army, police and customs have strengthened their presence on this border crossing which remained open on the Tunisian side for humanitarian cases. The fall of the Ras Jedir crossing border on the Libyan side in the hands of the rebels is imminent, observers believe. However, the military consider the situation still vague, since the city of Zouara is not under rebels control. More and more defecting army and security officers are fleeing Libya to Tunisia, via Saharan tracks. Moreover, several Libyan families are entering Tunisia through the desert or by sea.