Tunisian Interior Minister: Severing Relations with Syria is a Diplomatic Mistake

Tunisia , (ST )_ Tunisian Interior Minister Lotfi Bin Jeddo  stressed that cutting  ties with Syria was a diplomatic mistake, pointing out that communication with the Tunisians in Syria is made through  the Lebanese diplomacy and  the Tunisian Foreign and that calls of appeal  come  from  Tunisian women  sent for ” jihad marriage ” , seeking  assistance to return to Tunisia.

Bin Jeddo said in an interview with the Tunisian newspaper Shorouk published yesterday  that , ” the Tunisian security forces wiped out a group of 82 people of  networks ,  trading  with Tunisian women and  bringing them into  the Jihad marriage system .”

Bin Jeddo added that security forces have arrested the most dangerous  network  that sends  Tunisian women in Bin Qaradane city  and its members now in custody and investigations were continuing to detect financiers and  each one proves involvement in this matter will be held accountable.

Bin Jeddo explained that the girls who are under  legal age , that enables them to travel alone  sneak across the Libyan border or travel under the pretext of study , while another group go to Turkey for trade and when some of them were prevented  they demanded to travel freely to Turkey.

He explained  that the networks  which send Tunisian girls to ” Jihad marriage ” , include a group of Tunisians,  foreigners  and Libyans  provided  with  money  and free mobility and their mission  ends when these women  arrive in Syria .

“We received  distress cries of a number of Tunisian women who sought help to return to Tunisia and now we are trying with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide all the means for their return to Tunisia and the same for the detainees,” the Tunisian minister said.

“Unfortunately, ties were cut  with the Syrian state and this is a diplomatic  error , but  we communicate with our community there, and  with Tunisian women of Jihad marriage , and the Tunisian fighters  with the help of the  Lebanese diplomacy , which in turn communicates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from which  we learn all developments, “he stressed

He pointed out that the families of girls who  travelled to Syria communicated with them  to save their daughters from this disaster , noting that they staged a sit within the Ministry of Interior , especially  in  the Public Relations Department , in order to  save their daughters and sons  from the hell of war, and “we  have responded to their demand and prevented  some 6 thousands young people from traveling to Syria and will continue to work for the return of other Tunisians in Syria  their country.”

For his part, General Coordinator of the National Committee of the Tunisian mosques Bashir Arfaoui said  that the  imams union   will file a case against Noureddine Alkhadami  Tunisia ‘s Minister of Religious Affairs on charges of protecting the imams  who  issued fatwas  permitting the so called ” Jihad marriage .”

Arfaoui explained  that this lawsuit against Alkhadami is  not arbitrary  , and   supported  under the union ‘s possession of material  evidences proving  the involvement of the Minister of Religious Affairs of Tunisia  in ignoring incitement made by  some  extremist imams who took control of the mosques by force and now they continue to disseminate  ideas exotic for our community and lure girls to go to Syria the practice the so – called ” Jihad marriage ” .

Arfaoui revealed that employees in the Tunisian Ministry of Religious Affairs leaked some evidence that would confirm Alkhadami ‘s involvement.For her part, President of the National Union of Tunisian Women  Radia Jerbi said  that the Union  considers  the girls  of ” Jihad marriage ” as  victims that came under the cover of religion and then dropping  them out in  to an unknown fate , especially after the return of many of them pregnant.

T. Fateh