Summary:

On 19 February 2024, a multi-unit counterterrorism force arrested a member of the Jund al-Khalifa terrorist organization in Kasserine, identifying the individual as “dangerous.”

The individual was reportedly in possession of a suicide belt and weapons and was captured while riding a motorcycle. The individual joined Jund al-Khalifa in 2014 and was connected to multiple violent attacks, including the death of a shepherd.

Jund al-Khalifa in Tunisia is identified widely as a terrorist organization, including by the United Nations Security Council, which indicates that the group is an affiliate of the Islamic State and connected to terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda.

Late 2023 saw a surge in counterterrorism operations in Kasserine where terrorist elements have long operated in the porous border region with Algeria. In late December, Tunisian security forces killed three suspected terrorists in Kasserine.

Outlook: 

The arrest follows a series of counterterrorism operations in late 2023 that followed closely after the escape from prison of five convicted terrorists. While the escapees were all recaptured and returned to prison, the Tunisian government has been making a concerted and relatively well publicized effort to demonstrate competency on managing security within the country’s borders.

The latest arrest is the first in recent months in which the government has specifically linked the individual arrested to an internationally recognized terrorist organization. Indications that the individual was in possession of explosives and weapons further raises the profile of this incident, both a significant success as well as a reminder of the persistent threat faced from terrorism, particularly emanating from Tunisia’s western border area with Algeria.

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