Tunisia says plans to renew ties with Syria to help track fighters
By Tarek Amara
TUNIS, April 2 (Reuters) - Tunisia said on Thursday it plans to reopen a consulate in Syria and offered to invite the Syrian ambassador back to Tunisia in part to help track an estimated 3,000 Tunisian militants fighting in Iraq and Syria.
Last month, two Tunisians who trained with militants in neighbouring Libya, stormed the Tunis Bardo museum and shot 21 foreign tourists, one of Tunisia's worst such attacks.
"We will not have an ambassador there, but Tunisia will open a consulate or put in place a charge d'affaires, and a Syria ambassador is welcome to Tunisia, if Syria wishes so," Foreign Minister Taieb Bakouch told reporters. He gave no dates.
The minister said a consular presence in Syria would help Tunisia glean information on Tunisians fighting alongside Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria and who officials fear will return to carry out attacks at home.
http://www.trust.org/item/20150402130024-nm5es/