The sensitive issue of Tunisians returning from conflict zones resurfaces. On the sidelines of a seminar organized in Sfax to present the 2023-2027 national strategy for the prevention of violent extremism and the fight against terrorism, the representative of the government presidency within the national commission, Mourad Mahjoubi, announced that “a project is being developed to attract and reintegrate these people”.
This program, he explained, mobilizes several ministries and institutions, and is based on an inclusive approach, combining social, psychological and educational support. The stated objective is clear: to avoid marginalization and prevent any recurrence of violence, by focusing on rehabilitation rather than exclusion.
“The success of the fight against extremism cannot be limited to the security approach alone. We must rely on local forces, civil society and the private sector,” underlined Mahjoubi.
According to him, the first national strategy, applied since 2016, made it possible to contain the terrorist threat on a security and military level – Tunisia having not experienced any major attack since 2015. But the new roadmap now wants to consolidate a global approach, integrating educational, social, cultural and religious dimensions.
Mahjoubi also insisted on the importance of local and regional work, a guarantee of better application of prevention and awareness policies. He cited several indicators of success, including the reduction in school dropouts, the reduction in divorces and the strengthening of the family fabric, all levers of resilience in the face of radicalization.
The Sfax seminar, held in partnership with the International Center for Excellence in the Fight against Violent Extremism (Hedayah), is part of a national tour covering the five major regional hubs. These meetings aim to train local actors in moderate religious discourse, strategic communication and the promotion of common humanist values.
While the issue of returnees from tension zones continues to spark lively political and societal debates, the government’s approach seems to want to reconcile security and reintegration – a delicate balance, but necessary, to turn the page on the dark years of terrorism in Tunisia.
