View source for Battle of Ben Guerdane

{{Short description|Battle in Tunisia}}
{{expand French|Bataille de Ben Gardane|date=April 2018|topic=mil}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Battle of Ben Guerdane
|partof = the [[ISIL insurgency in Tunisia]] and the<br />spillover of the [[Libyan civil war (2014–2020)|Libyan Civil War (2014–2020)]]
|image = File:Attaque de Ben Gardane-8.png
|caption = Security forces during the attack.
|date = 7–9 March 2016<br/>({{Age in months, weeks and days|year1=2016|month1=03|day1=07|year2=2016|month2=03|day2=09}})
|place = [[Ben Gardane]], [[Medenine Governorate]], [[Tunisia]]
|result = Tunisian victory
|combatant1 = {{flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}} '''[[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya]]'''<br /> {{flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}} [[Ansar al-Sharia (Tunisia)]]<ref name=Reuters/>
|combatant2 = {{Flagicon|Tunisia}} '''[[Tunisia]]'''
*{{flagicon image|شعار أركان جيش البر، تونس.svg|25px}} [[Tunisian Army]]
*{{flagicon image|Écusson garde nationale, Tunisie.svg|25px}} [[Tunisian National Guard]]
*{{flagicon|Tunisia}} [[Ministry of the Interior (Tunisia)|Police Force]] and Customs Officials<ref name=Washingtonpost/>
|commander1 =Various
|commander2 ={{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} [[Habib Essid]]<br />{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} [[Beji Caid Essebsi]]<br />{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} [[Ministry of Defence (Tunisia)|Farhat Horchani]]<br /><small>(Minister of National Defense)</small><br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} General [[Ismaïl Fathali]]<br /><small>(Army Chief of Staff)</small><br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} Samir Naqi<ref name=Washingtonpost/><br/><small>(Senior police official)</small><br />{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} Mohamed Maali<ref name=Washingtonpost/><br /><small>(Head of counter-terrorism department)</small><br/>{{Flagicon image|Flag of Tunisia.svg}} Colonel Abdel Atti Abdelkabir {{Executed}}<ref name=Reuters>{{cite web|url=https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/as-fighters-return-tunisia-faces-growing-challenge|title=As fighters return, Tunisia faces growing challenge|first=Zohra|last=Bensemra|website=The Wider Image}}</ref><ref name=Washingtonpost>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/islamic-state-threatens-fragile-tunisia-from-next-door-in-libya/2016/05/13/cd9bd634-f82e-11e5-958d-d038dac6e718_story.html|title=Islamic State, growing stronger in Libya, sets its sights on fragile neighbor Tunisia|first=Sudarsan|last=Raghavan|date=May 13, 2016|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref><br/><small>(Local anti-terror security chief)</small>†
|strength1 = ~100 fighters<ref name=UK>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-special-forces-helping-tunisian-7547173|title=British defence experts helping Tunisian army in four-day battle against ISIS|first=Dan|last=Warburton|date=March 12, 2016|website=mirror}}</ref><ref name="twomilitants"/>
|strength2 = Unknown
|casualties1 = 35-55 killed<br>52 captured<ref name="twomilitants"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shemsfm.net/fr/actualite/habib-essid-55-terroristes-abattus-et-52-autres-arretes-a-ben-guerdene-136363 |title=Habib Essid : 55 terroristes abattus et 52 autres arrêtés, à Ben Guerdene |publisher=Shemsfm.net |date=2020-05-15 |access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref>
|casualties2 = 13 killed<br>14 wounded<ref name="twomilitants"/>
|casualties3 = 7 civilians killed<br>3 civilians wounded<ref name="twomilitants"/>
|notes=† Head of counter-terrorism division assassinated in home by militants.<ref name=Washingtonpost/>
}}
{{Campaignbox ISIL insurgency in Tunisia}}
The '''Battle of Ben Guerdane''' occurred on March 7, 2016, in the city of [[Ben Gardane]] in [[Tunisia]] on the border with [[Libya]]. Islamic State forces attempted to seize the city, but were repulsed by the [[Tunisian military]]. The clashes continued also on 8 and 9 of March in the area.
==The attack==
Armed groups of militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya and Ansar al-Sharia began the attack on the town by grouping around and seizing the local mosque. The mosque loudspeakers were used to broadcast a message and a signal for the attack on government facilities. The Tunisian National Guard, military barracks, and police posts were simultaneously ambushed, in an attempt to take over Ben Guerdane and establish an "emirate" within Tunisia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/03/cloneoftunisia-ben-gardane-clashes-1603070709142-160307151549524.html|title=Tunisia closes border with Libya after fierce clashes|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> The fighting continued between the attackers and Tunisian military and police reinforcements, until clashes ended in mid-morning, and continued pursuit operations in the vicinity lasted the rest of the day.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/201603071739.html Tunisia: Military Foil Attack On Ben Guerdane Barracks, No Less Than 10 Terrorists Killed] Allafrica website, March 8, 2016</ref>
==Casualties==
The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of National Defense put the death toll at 55 armed militants, 13 security forces members and seven civilians.<ref name="twomilitants">{{cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/03/09/Five-terrorists-killed-near-Tunisia-Libya-border.html|title=Two militants, Tunisian soldier killed in clashes|date=March 9, 2016|website=Al Arabiya English}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20160309-tunisia-terrorists-dead-raid|title=Tunisia forces kill five ‘terrorists’ after deadly IS group raid|date=March 9, 2016|website=France 24}}</ref>
==Reactions==
* {{Flag|United Nations}}: [[United Nations Security Council]] condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist attack. In a statement, the council considered that “any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.” It also “underlined the need to bring perpetrators... of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice,” reaffirming “the need for all States to combat” this scourge by all means.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tap.info.tn/en/index.php/politics2/34124-un-security-council-strongly-condemns-terrorist-attack-in-ben-guerdane |title=TAP |publisher=TAP |access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Africa}}
* [[2014 Chaambi Mountains attack]]
* [[Bardo National Museum attack|2015 Bardo National Museum attack]]
* [[2015 Sousse attacks]]
* [[2015 Tunis bombing]]
== External links ==
* {{YouTube|HpABV7BFDPE|The highlights of the attack (Tunisian Ministry of the Interior)}}
== Bibliography ==
* ''Epopee of Ben Guerdane: Secrets and Mysteries of the Battle of March 2016'', Editions Sotumedias, Tunis, 2020 {{isbn|9789938918762}}.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}}
[[Category:Ben Guerdane|Battle]]
[[Category:2016 in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Arab Winter in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Africa in 2016]]
[[Category:Battles involving Tunisia]]
[[Category:Islamist attacks on mosques]]
[[Category:Military operations involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]]
[[Category:Attacks on mosques in Africa]]
[[Category:March 2016 events in Africa]]
[[Category:Battles in 2016]]
[[Category:Ambushes in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in Tunisia]]
[[Category:ISIL terrorist incidents in Tunisia]]
[[Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2016]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in 2016]]
[[Category:21st-century attacks on mosques]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ben Guerdane}}