Two Libyans arrested in Tunisia with crude bomb

Police in Tunisia arrested two Libyan nationals in possession of a crude bomb in the southern city of Tataouine, Tunisia's Interior Ministry announced Wednesday.

In a statement posted online, the ministry said the two Libyans were on their way from Algeria, Tunisia's neighbour to the west, to Libya, which borders the country in the east, dpa reported.

Police became suspicious Tuesday night after the men were seen acting strangely at their hotel in Tataouine, around 100 kilometres from the border.

"One of them had a home-made bomb that he had brought from Algeria, and a suitcase full of food," the ministry said.

"They admitted they wanted to return to Libya," the minister said.

No other weapons were found on the pair. Witnesses told the local TAP news agency the suspects were aged in their mid-twenties and wore sports gear.

It was not clear what the men intended to do with the bomb, or how sophisticated the device was.

Since the beginning of the uprising against Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi's regime in February, over 40,000 Libyans have poured into Tunisia in search of refuge.

The two countries share a 459-kilometre border.