Greetings Expats,
Over the last few weeks we’ve been discussing the seriousness of residential security and the lack of security on the ground within local neighborhoods. Last night’s incident in Kasserine where gunmen “attacked the home of the country’s top security official, killing four of the police guarding it” is a tragic & powerful case and point.
According to witnesses: “The assailants were hooded and arrived in a pick-up truck around mid-night in an attempt to enter the house. The group was on board of vehicle type Isuzu D-Max and opened fire on law enforcement officers tasked to secure the house”. Additionally, authorities say the militants are linked to Al Qaeda, however it is important to note that militants have not claimed the attacks.
Challenges Ahead
While discussing the incident this morning with one of my most reliable contacts he mentioned a phrase that I often dread: “mezelet” which loosely means “not yet done”. As a man that’s very selective about the words he uses, I’ve learned throughout the years that this means there are challenges ahead.
What types of challenges?
Well when a top security official’s home is attacked it indicates that groups are active & willing to conduct bold operations. With the tourist & political campaign season upon us; this will have widespread consequences and we should see a strong response by the Tunisian security forces.
On the expat side of things we should continue to focus on improving our personal & residential security setup. After these types of incidents there is always a lot of nervous energy & concern, but as informed expats we should simply evaluate our setup and continue to follow practical security guidelines.
- Review your routes & routines (set down and simply right down your weekly routine…then think of ways to change your routes so that you’re not predictable.)
- Walk around your residence and think of a few ways to make it more secure.
- Make sure you are aware of your surroundings and receiving reliable information.
Let’s continue to share informative information.
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