Based on limited geophysical data (seismic lines and gravity maps), Haji et al. (2024) presented a study on the relationship between deep-seated faults, their strike-slip kinematics and salt tectonism in the Central Tunisian Atlas. The geological structures presented in this paper have been already extensively studied in detail through fieldwork, hydrogeological studies, geophysical and structural analyses (Kadri, 1988; Ben Ayed, 1993; Chihi and Ben Ayed 1991; Khazri and Gabtni, 2015; Creusot and Ouali, 1989; Chihi, 1995; Zouaghi, 2008; Philip et al., 1986; Boukadi and Bedir, 1996; Azaiez et al., 2011; Zidi et al., 2024). The central Tunisian Atlas is mainly characterized by NE-trending folds, E-W striking faults, NW-SE to E-W grabens and some Triassic salt outcrops interpreted as diapirs.After a careful reading of this paper, we find that it is flawed in parts, and has problems of both form and content. Furthermore, this study has several significant scientific problems, including the misuse and misinterpretation of geophysical data, inaccuracies in several sentences and paragraphs, a lack of field data, and lack of proper discussion of previous results. Therefore, our main aim in this comment is to highlight these scientific problems. We briefly discuss some formal and substantive issues that justify our main objections to the paper by Haji et al. (2024) and their inadequate approaches.
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