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Tunisian Minister of Environment Arrested Over Italian Waste Scandal

A view of a container being carried by a crane above a freight ship at the port of Sousse, where containers of household waste from Italy are blocked. (AFP)
A view of a container being carried by a crane above a freight ship at the port of Sousse, where containers of household waste from Italy are blocked. (AFP)
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Tunisian Minister of Environment Arrested Over Italian Waste Scandal

A view of a container being carried by a crane above a freight ship at the port of Sousse, where containers of household waste from Italy are blocked. (AFP)
A view of a container being carried by a crane above a freight ship at the port of Sousse, where containers of household waste from Italy are blocked. (AFP)

Tunisian Environment Minister Mustapha Aroui has been sacked and arrested on Sunday over the shipment of hundreds of containers of household waste from Italy to Tunisia, according to spokesperson for the Sousse Court of First Instance Jabir al-Gunaymi.

Justice took over with the arrest of 21 people, including a Customs official, two directors at the National Agency for Environmental Protection (ANPE), four employees from the National Agency for Waste Management (ANGED), and the owner of a private laboratory.

During an accountability session before the parliament, Aroui stated that Tunisia is working on returning the containers to Italy -- he continued that the Italian authority was informed of illegal trade activities.

Head of the Tunisian Administrative Reform and Anti-Corruption Commission Bedreddin al-Kamudi said that several officials from the Customs and the Ministry of the Environment were arrested.

Kamudi added that arrests will continue when the judicial research covers other officials related to this matter.

The shipment was seized by the Tunisian Customs after protests held by civil organizations and accusations of receiving hazardous waste from Italy.

The Customs accused the Ministry of Local Affairs and the Environment of standing behind the waste shipment and insisted that the Ministry granted permission for this.

A report was submitted on Dec. 14 to the Tunisian Administrative Reform and Anti-Corruption Commission, revealing several disorders that need to be referred to the judiciary. Further, the report presented recommendations to avoid similar scenarios in the future.

Notably, the Tunisian authority launched an investigation into corruption-related issues, namely “misconduct”, in which Tunisian former Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh, Industry Minister Youssef bin Saleh, and MP Jalal al-Zayati were involved.

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Iraq Initiates Contacts with Western Countries to Prevent Potential Israeli Strike

Sudani chairs a military meeting in Baghdad. (Government media)
Sudani chairs a military meeting in Baghdad. (Government media)
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Iraq Initiates Contacts with Western Countries to Prevent Potential Israeli Strike

Sudani chairs a military meeting in Baghdad. (Government media)
Sudani chairs a military meeting in Baghdad. (Government media)

The Iraqi government is making significant efforts to shield the country from the effects of the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. Sources revealed that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has activated three internal and external strategies to prevent a potential Israeli strike on Iraq.
Concerns have grown since Iran launched hundreds of missiles at Israel on Tuesday night, some of which crossed through Iraqi airspace. Pro-Iran factions have also intensified their attacks on Israeli and US targets.
A senior official from Sudani’s office told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Iraqi government is "moving swiftly on three simultaneous fronts to avoid the repercussions of the war and keep the country away from its dangerous consequences."
These efforts involve diplomatic engagements with Iraq’s Western allies, especially the US and the UK, to convince them that Iraq is neutral in the conflict. The aim is to encourage them to pressure Israel to refrain from attacking Iraq. Additionally, Al-Sudani has assigned three influential figures, including a political-religious leader, to hold urgent talks with certain factions, urging them to remain neutral due to the increasing risks.
While the government is working with political leaders and some faction heads, analysts remain skeptical about its ability to influence more radical groups to stop their escalations against Israel. However, they note that these factions often target Israeli interests from outside Iraq.
Many fear that these groups may also resume attacks on US bases in the country, particularly following a recent attack on Victoria Base near Baghdad Airport, where US forces are believed to be stationed.
Iraq’s Islamic Resistance announced on Wednesday that it had struck "vital areas" in Israel, signaling that the factions remain committed to escalating the conflict.
On the eve of Iran's missile strike on Israel, Sudani visited the Joint Operations Command headquarters in Baghdad, where he met with senior security officials to review the country's security situation and the military’s readiness to address any potential threats. He instructed security forces to enhance their preparedness and capabilities.
However, security experts doubt Iraq’s ability to defend against a possible Israeli airstrike, given the country's weak ground-based defense systems.
In response to Iran's attack, Iraq's Resistance Coordinating Committee threatened to target US bases and interests if the US or Israel conducts any hostile actions, stating that all American bases in Iraq and the region would be considered targets.