Thousands of Tunisians Flee Libyan Violence

TUNIS - Thousands of Tunisians are fleeing Libya, many across its western land border, after a bloody crackdown there on protests against the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, state media reported on Tuesday.

Tunisia has at least 30,000 nationals in Libya and officials fear they could become targets because of Tunisia's role in inspiring uprisings across the Arab world: its leader was overthrown in January, and Egypt's president fell on Feb. 11.

Some 3,000 Tunisians crossed the border at Dhiba and Ben Gerden in southern Tunisia on Monday night, and another 1,200 are expected to be evacuated by air on Tuesday to Tunisia's capital, state media reported.

"We have installed tents at the border so that our brothers arriving from Libya can rest. We've provided food for them as well," Hussein Betaib, a union leader at Ben Gerden, told Reuters by telephone.

Gaddafi's forces have cracked down fiercely on demonstrators, with fighting spreading to the capital Tripoli after erupting in Libya's oil-producing east last week. Human Rights Watch says at least 233 people have been killed.

Tunisia's government on Monday said it was concerned by reports of killings of protesters in Libya, adding it hoped for "a return of security and stability in this brother nation and for the legitimate will of the Libyan people to be attained."

Hundreds of marchers gathered outside the Libyan embassy in Tunisia's capital Tunis on Tuesday, chanting "Free Libya, Gaddafi out!"

Scores of Tunisians were killed by loyalists of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali during the wave of protests last month that forced him to flee to Saudi Arabia.

Tunisia's interim government, expected to set elections by July or August, has since sought to extradite Ben Ali and his wife to face criminal charges.