Press Release
Military Cooperation with the US: A Perpetuation of Dependence and Humiliation of Our Armed Forces
(Translated)

The Ministry of National Defense issued a statement regarding the Tunisian-American talks held on Wednesday, January 14th, 2026, between the Minister of National Defense, Khaled Sehili, and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for African Affairs, Brian J. Ellis, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Tunisia, Bill Bazzi, and several officials from both sides.

According to the statement, the main focus of the talks was on ways to strengthen and diversify military cooperation, as well as emphasizing the importance of continuing to implement the 2020-2030 Military Cooperation Roadmap. During the meeting, Ellis, who is in charge of African affairs, expressed his country’s readiness to further develop and diversify bilateral cooperation and update the joint roadmap to meet the requirements of the current stage. He pointed out that this support aims to strengthen Tunisia’s position as a regional hub for training and education, and as a source of security and a key stabilizing factor in the region, describing Tunisia as a strategic partner that stands at the forefront of African countries that have distinguished relations with America built on mutual trust and respect.

In response to this statement, we in Hizb ut Tahrir/Wilayah of Tunisia affirm the following:

First: Agreements are not built on intentions, but rather on capability, deterrence, and balance. The term "strategic partner" in the American lexicon does not mean a friend or an equal partner, but rather an actor performing a specific function within the system of American interests.

Second: Reliance on American training, armaments, and the exchange of expertise does not constitute an equal alliance, but rather the integration and entanglement of the country in the network of American security objectives in Africa.

Thirdly: The historical celebration of the "old friend" or "ally" designation does not grant Tunisia the right to object or any privilege. On the contrary, according to American imperial logic, it is met with financial sanctions, increased customs duties, and the inclusion of Tunisians on the list of those barred from immigrating to the United States on the grounds that they represent a burden on public services, as stated in the US State Department spokesperson's statement, effective 21/1/2026.

O Muslims of the Land of Zaytouna: How can any rational person expect that an alliance with America can protect our interests, when it is a colonial power from whose evils the world has not been spared? Islam has forbidden seeking help from non-Muslims as an entity, as the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:

«لَا تَسْتَضِيئُوا بِنَارِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ» “Do not seek light from the fire of the polytheists,” because the nature of alliances necessitates that the armies of both parties fight together against a common enemy or that military information and equipment be exchanged between them. While America is involved in hostile acts in Muslim countries far and wide, what is happening in Gaza is still plain to see.

O People of Tunisia: We warn you against the deliberate fallacies propagated by the political authorities, who claim that these treaties with the colonial power, America, are limited to enhancing the operational readiness and military capabilities of the Tunisian army.

America, however, speaks openly of establishing Tunisia as a regional hub for training and development, meaning that the matter goes far beyond traditional agreements. America is devising a massive project that will require a full ten years to complete, and its roadmap, according to its claims, involves border control, port protection, combating extremist ideology, and confronting Russia and China. This blatantly constitutes an infringement upon Tunisia's sovereignty and a direct form of control over it.

O Muslims: The Khilafah (Caliphate), which Hizb ut Tahrir calls you to work with it to establish, and which the Director of the American Intelligence Agency and many Western politicians before her have warned against, because they are certain that it is the only political entity qualified to confront America and its cunning, with its sovereign project capable of uniting the Ummah of two billion towards implementing its strategy to save the world, is independent of any alliance with the enemies of Allah (swt), His Messenger (saw), and the believers.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Tunisia