Tunisia suspends UAE flights after security measures: ministry

Tunisian transportation ministry said Sunday that it has banned all the United Arab Emirates (UAE) airlines' flights from landing in the country over security measures. The decision came two days after the UAE imposed travel ban on Tunisian women.

The transport ministry said it had "decided to suspend" Emirates flights to Tunis "until the airline is able to find the appropriate solution to operate its flights in accordance with international law and agreements".

On Friday, UAE briefly imposed a travel ban on Tunisian women without elaborating reasons, causing an uproar in the North African country.

The UAE ambassador to Tunis was summoned to the foreign ministry of Tunisia late Friday, immediately after the decision.

Tunisia's state-run news agency TAP quoted the UAE ambassador to Tunisia as saying that the measures were "temporary and relating to security arrangements" and that the travel restrictions have been lifted.

As Tunisian passengers started to be turned away at the Emirati airports, many Tunisian social media users took to Twitter to denounce the "discriminatory" move.

A Tunisian foreign ministry spokesman said Friday that the sudden ban would be dealt with "to maintain the dignity of Tunisians."

Tunisian MP Iyed Dahmani said that the decision was unacceptable and they were ready to take countermeasures.