The human cost of fighting terrorist uprisings in the Kasserine Province has been high but the environment has also paid the price.

Fires in Al-Shaanbi mountains to oust terrorists

The mountains in the Al-Shaanbi range have literally caught fire since military units landed and started shelling the alleged hiding places of terrorists with artillery. This led to the outbreak of wild fires and the destruction of huge areas of forest vegetation.

The human cost of fighting terrorist uprisings in the Kasserine Province has been high but the environment has also paid the price.

Fires in Al-Shaanbi mountains to oust terrorists

The mountains in the Al-Shaanbi range have literally caught fire since military units landed and started shelling the alleged hiding places of terrorists with artillery. This led to the outbreak of wild fires and the destruction of huge areas of forest vegetation.

Environmental civil society organizations, as well as the Tunisian Union for Agriculture and Fishing (UTAP), the most important agricultural organization in Tunisia, voiced their concerns about the damage done to the region when fires spread and reached the mountains close to the al-Shaanbi in the provinces of Beja, Kef and Zaghouan along the western side of the country. 

Ecological diversity at risk

“The forests will not be as they were before the fires because it is difficult to breed the same unique flora and fauna after their extinction,” says Abdul Majeed al-Zar, president of UTAP.

“These fires have accelerated the extinction of many species of plants and many farmers, who live off forest-related activities, have lost their jobs. The rehabilitation of the burnt forests, especially in the al-Shaanbi, will take more than 50 years,” al-Zar told Correspondents. He added that farm animals had also fled their enclosures and were now living amidst the fires in the wild.

According to estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture, the fire damaged 700 hectares of the forest and farmers’ crops.

What’s more, the insurgents soon faced fire with fire, extending the environmental destruction. As anti-government forces were driven out of their hiding places by the engulfing flames, they retaliated by starting further fires as diversions in the Touiref Mountains in Kef Province and the Samama Mountains in Kasserine Province.

Major eco-tourism destination destroyed

The military’s incursions in the area have had an impact on tousim too. “The mountain is one of the most important pathways for eco-tourism and a popular destination for those who have a passion for nature tourism and fishing,” Thafer Latif, secretary general of the Tunisian League of Travel Agencies, told Correspondents.

“It is one of the high financial return tourism products which significantly contributes to the revitalization of commercial activities in this area: Eco-tourism in the al-Shaanbi Mountain and the surrounding villages provides people with job opportunities,” says Latif.

Hundreds of species killed

The al-Shaanbi Reserve is a key destination for eco-tourism. Latif says the area is home to 62 plant species, 24 types of mammal and 16 reptiles and frogs species, all of which could become endangered.

The fires have destroyed a large number of Aleppo Pine and Alnus forests, which are difficult to replace because growing them requires many years of care and nurture, given the difficult climactic conditions of the area.  The Aleppo Pine forest is composed of 100 types of trees such as the green oak, the alnus, rosemary and many others.

Animal habitats and flauna threatened

But environmentalists say the loss of animal habitats is equally worrying. The mountain gazelle is among the most distinctive creatures in the al-Shaanbi and is the largest deer in Tunisia. The warthog is also present in the Aleppo Pine forest. There are also species of hyenas and wild cats – as well as foxes, jackals and many kinds of reptiles. A rare kind of the Mouflon, a wild sheep – which nearly became extinct in the 1960s – was repatriated back to the park in the early 1980s. 

Forefront of battle against global warming

The Al-Shaanbi Reserve is also home, in the spring and autumn seasons, to several types of migratory birds, mostly predatory species such as eagles and hawks.  Rare kinds of pigeons, quails and hoopoes aare also popular with hunters.

While firefighters continue to fight the flames, the Tunisian government is weighing up the impact on different sectors.  A large number of natural herbs, grown for export purposes and used in the pharmaceutical industry, have been destroyed. 

The al-Shaanbi forest is also an important element in addressing global warming and in providing the region with fresh air.