TUNIS, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has decided to temporarily close one of its border posts with Algeria following two forest fires that started two days ago, the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported on Thursday.
Tunisian authorities temporarily closed Melloula post on the north-western border with Algeria on Wednesday evening, due to the spread of two fires that broke out in the nearby forest, TAP quoted Samir Kouka, the governor of the northwestern province of Jendouba, as saying.
"The closure decision aims to protect citizens and the border post from the fire that ravaged large areas of the Melloula forest," Kouka noted.
As a security measure, the authorities have decided to steer traffic from the entrances and exits of Melloula post towards the neighboring Babouch post until the spread of the fires is curbed.
The Melloula border post is one of the main posts frequented by Algerians, with the average visitor number reaching more than one million per year. ■