Tunisian MP denies planning to ‘apologise’ to Syria’s Assad

A Tunisian politician has denied reports he plans to travel to Syria to apologise to President Bashar Al-Assad for Tunisia’s position on the war in his country and congratulate him for retaking Aleppo from “terrorists”.

Leader of the Tounes Movement Project, Mohsen Marzouk, was reportedly planning to fly to Damascus along with a Tunisian delegation in a bid to improve relations between the two Arab nations, Tunisian news site Al-Sabah reported.

However, the Tounes Movement Project released a statement on social media strongly denying the report.

“We stress that all news should come through official statements. We are shocked that this report was published on several sites without us being allowed to respond,” the statement stated.

Marzouk launched the Tounes Movement Project earlier this year in an effort to separate religion and politics, mirroring many of the policies of pre-2011 Tunisia.

In 2012, Tunisia’s former President Moncef Marzouki cut ties with Damascus and called for Assad to step down. President Beji Caid Essebsi however has adopted a more neutral stance stating that he was “acting in accordance with a common Arab agreement”.

“We will take the decision that will be approved by the Arab community,” he explained.

Earlier this month, Marzouki called on Essebsi to meet with the ambassadors of Russia and Iran to protest against the “terrible abuses against civilians in Aleppo.”

Tunisia has recently been battling with fears of a return to extremism as fighters who have fought in Syria along with Daesh are returning home.  The government has been called on to take “exceptional measures” to combat the return of the militants as hundreds of protesters gathered to denounce the return of Tunisians fighting abroad this week.

Leader of the Tounes Movement Project, Mohsen Marzouk, released a statement warning that “every returning jihadist” was like a “time bomb”.