By Mark Baber
Togo’s football federation has said its request to move next week’s African Cup of Nations qualifier out of Tunisia due to security concerns has been turned down by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The decision comes in the wake of the so-called Islamic State’s attempt on March 7 to take control of the town of Ben Guerdane, on Tunisia’s border with Libya which led to the deaths of at least 36 militants along with 12 soldiers and seven civilians.
The game is to be held in the north-eastern city of Monastir, far from the site of last week’s battle and in an area where security has been tight after attacks on Western tourists by gunmen trained in Libya at the Bardo Museum in Tunis a year ago and at a beach hotel in Sousse last June.
Togo Football Federation secretary general Pierre Lamadokou says the federation will continue to observe the situation in Tunisia over the next few days, with Togo players and officials understandably concerned about security ever since their team bus was attacked by Angolan separatists when they were traveling to the 2010 African Cup and two Togo team officials were killed.
Concerns have been particularly high in Tunisia, not just because of its proximity to Libya which has become a haven for militants, but also as up to 5,500 Tunisians are reported to have travelled to join IS in Libya and Syria.
With two games played, Togo currently sit on top of Group A in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, whilst Tunisia are in third having beaten Djibouti 8-1, but lost 1-0 to Liberia away from home.
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