Tunisia calls in UK envoy over ‘unjustified’ ban

Tunisia on Friday summoned the British ambassador to the North African country to protest against what it called an “unjustified” ban on electronic devices on flights to the United Kingdom.

The foreign ministry’s head of European affairs, Mohammad Mezghani, told ambassador Louise de Sousa that Tunisia was “surprised” it was not consulted or informed of the decision ahead of its announcement.

The ban on large electronics devices was “unjustified and does not reflect the security situation in Tunisia”, he said.

Mezghani also cited a 2016 report by the International Civil Aviation Organisation which he said described airports in Tunisia as among the “safest” in the world.

Tunisia has been rocked by a series of deadly jihadist attacks since the 2011 uprising, including a June 2015 shooting rampage at a beach resort that killed 38 people, including 30 British tourists. The attack was claimed by the Daesh group. Britain’s Foreign Office warns against all travel to some border regions of Tunisia and “all but essential travel” to the rest of the country.

From yesterday, passengers on flights to the United States and Britain from major hubs in Turkey and the Arab world will have to check in any device larger than a smartphone, including laptops and tablets.

The United States and Britain have cited intelligence indicating passenger jets could be targeted via explosives planted in such devices.

The US ban affects nine airlines from eight countries: Turkey, Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The British ban, meanwhile, targets flights out of Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Lebanon. Customs and Border Protection Facility, which processes immigration and customs inspections before departure.

But those flying to the US from Abu Dhabi will still need to check in their electronics, Etihad said.