Sfax: The special unit of the National Guard carried out a mock exercise on Wednesday at the Amilcar oil facility, Nakta, Mahres delegation, Sfax governorate.
The operation consisted of thwarting a terrorist attempt to blow up the oil facility by five terrorists who hijacked a bus carrying workers and then stormed the facility, taking control of the administrative building and holding a number of hostages.
Spokesperson for the General Directorate of the National Guard, Brigadier General Houssam Eddine Jebabli, told TAP that the aim of this operation was to highlight the readiness of the special unit to confront anyone who would tamper with Tunisia’s security, given that the threat of terrorism is still present in all countries of the world.
He also stressed that such operations send a message that the special units of the National Guard, with all their specialisations, are a safety valve for Tunisia.
Jebabli explained that the mock exercise, which lasted 45 minutes, began with a self-protection system for
the sensitive oil facility, relying on the Guard units present at the site until the security group was notified.
The National Guard District of Sfax, with its various specialisations, then moved in to carry out rapid interventions, such as cordoning off the site, until the specialised unit of the National Guard of Sfax arrived and took control of the situation. This was achieved by first negotiating with the terrorist group, then storming the compound, eliminating the terrorist group and freeing the hostages.
The security forces treated the hostages as suspects, considering that they might be terrorists.
For her part, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines, Fatima Thabet Chiboub, said: “This mock exercise is part of the national strategy drawn up in cooperation between the ministry and the security services, including the National Guard and Civil Protection, and in coordination with the regional authorities.
The aim of this strategy is to “ensure the readiness of all security units to secure sensitive in
stallations, especially oil and gas installations”.
She highlighted the importance of the Amilcar oil field in ensuring energy independence, as it provides 35 per cent of Tunisia’s gas production.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse