Tunisia Travel Forum

Not sure if you heard, now the Taliban in Tunisia has kidnapped 2 Austrian guys and threatens to kill them within 24 hours if their members in jail aren't released.

http://www.wienerzeitung.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4082&Alias=wzo&cob=334063

These two innocent guys thought they were on an adventure of a
life-time, just like me.... let's hope they will come out alive.

Anybody traveling or planning to travel in that area, ensure you REGISTER with the tourist board and let them know your route.

Have a safe journey
Iris

Isn't that a bit overstated?

1. There are no Taliban in Tunisia. You confuse something. The Taliban regime was in Afghanistan..thousands of kilometers from Tunisia.

2. I heard that this two Austrian passed the border to Algeria (a country that is a lot more dangerous and everyone is telling you, you should stay out), and have there been kidnapped.

Tunisia is safe. There have only been one terrorist attack during the last 20 years.

I would rate Egypt a lot more dangerous. There is a lot more potential for terrorism.

This wasn't meant to be a contest of which country to rate more dangerous ARC...

And if you would inform yourself correctly you would know that there is indeed groupings of the Taliban in Tunisia.... just read the article.

I have travelled during Maoist attacks in Nepal (solo) last year and would have been happy if someone would have warned me of going into certain parts of Nepal.

And two of my countrymen maybe not making it back alive is in my eyes not overstated.

PS: the jailed Taliban members in Tunisia & Algeria are the reason for the kidnapping >>

http://www.longwarjournal.org/

My mistake I meant Al-Quaida....

But nevertheless there are Taliban group members in jail in Tunisia & Algeria.

n'uff said

I don't think that there are any Taliban members in Tunisian prisons now. It wouldn't make any sense because there've never been Talibans in Tunisia, not even on the same continent.

I'm just thinking it could be a little bit overstated to compare Tunisia with a conflict zone now because of this one single event.
It's not really clear yet how this kidnapping happend. I think there is a large area in the Tunisian desert, which is normaly forbidden to visit for tourists (maybe because the government can't control this area). Maybe this two Austrians just went into that area without a permission or like other sources tell, went from southern Tunisia even into Algeria. That would be careless acting.

Anyway thank you for the informations. I will keep an eye on that story now, because I would like to visit Tunisia again any time soon.

Bye the way a friend of mine is now on her own in a conflict zone in Nepal. I hope she is gonna be alright.

To check the website of the Department for Foreign Affairs is a good tip.

Hi there,
This absolutely wrong. There is no talibans in Tunisia. In North Africa there is a branch of AL-Qaida (for information tralibans is a regime in Afghanistan; AL-Qaida is a terrorist group, an organisation!!!) which mainly based in Algeria.
We all hope that they will be safe. But plz read more about the situation before judging it.

In addition, as said Arc, the desert is a restricted area, you have to get a permit before getting there. But not because the government cannot get control on it. But because the desert is just like the deep see, unforeseeable, so they need to be sure that you re with the right person and establishement. Generally they ask people to be in at least a couple of cars, never a lonely car. This area is also a military area, so every body getting to the area should be cheked.

I am Tunisian, myself I was scared when I heard about it, because it was the first time such a thing happens, so I don't blame anybody to get scared. But I really think that it has nothing to do with a conflict situation or a safety loosening. Those who had the opportunity to visit Tunisia could note how it is safe.
Enjoy your trips (throughout the world) and hope everybody a safe one,

I can confirm that Tunisia is as safe as any western European country, which means that there is as little (or as big !) hazard than in Paris or in London !

What are you talking about!! Talinbam in Tunisia it's absolutly stupid, there is no Taliban and no Terrsorsit in Tunisia, Terrorist are in Algeria, they tried to enter Tunisia but they can't , our security servises are soo strong.

concerning the Austrian Tourist, they was running in not secured area in Desert near Algeria, that's why they was kildnaped, I m sorry for that and sad, but I hope that they will be free in few day, and they will come back.

Try to visit Tunisia it's sheap and very nice Country

I checked out the link you gave, and it is all about Iraq, Afghanistan etc. It is ridiculous to try to compare Tunisia to Iraq etc. Tunisia is probably the most secular of all the Arabic countries in the world. Anybody who has visited Tunisia knows that the average tunisian is not in any way intolerant of westerners or other religions. When I have travelled there I've even had the local Jewish areas pointed out to me. Can you imagine a Jewish area in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Of course it is awful when there are terrorist threats and action but we have to keep things in proportion. I wouldn't stop visiting London because of 7/7, or new york because of 9/11. When I travel close to the algerian border I am always extremely cautious as I know there is a huge difference between tunisia and algeria

please don't try to make out tunisia is a dangerous country when it's not. these things can happen in any country anywhere in the workd nowadays. tunisia is every bit as safe as europe