TUNIS, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Tunisian defense ministry on Monday warned citizens no to approach military zones or border buffer areas to avoid exposure to fire by military units, according to a ministry statement.
"The goal is to preserve lives at risk of being exposed to direct fire by military units operating in these areas," read the statement.
The ministry's decision also aims to combat frequent attempts to infiltrate into Tunisian territories illegally and smuggle goods from neighboring countries.
"On Saturday, in the region of Manzala in the southeastern province of Tataouine, smugglers boarding two vehicles coming from Libya opened fire on a Tunisian military patrol," said the defense ministry.
Since 2015, the Tunisian authorities have launched several military operations on its borders with Libya and Algeria in a bid to fight illegal immigration and smuggling.
