Tunisia’s Star Wars Sites Safe From Militants Tourism Commission Says

Tunisian officials have sought to dampen down on worries that the sets from the iconic Star Wars movies are under threat from Islamic State militants.

CNN recently suggested that the sets were vulnerable after arrests and discoveries of weapons caches near the town of Tatouine, which lent its name to Luke Skywalker’s home planet.

The story was picked up widely even though the main Star Wars sets are on the other side of the country near the western city of Tozeur.

Mohammed Sayem of Tozeur’s tourism commission told The Associated Press Thursday that the reports were “without foundation.”

Col. Mokhtar Hammami of the National Guard said he had 1,500 men patrolling the area.

Concerns over security have heightened after last week’s attack at the national museum that killing 21 people.