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Tunisia Femen activist arrested for 'immoral gestures'

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:13:21 +0300

A young Tunisian activist who sparked controversy in March by posting topless pictures of herself online has been arrested for allegedly making "immoral gestures," the interior ministry said on Monday.

Tunisia PM vows firm action after Islamist unrest

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:29:42 +0300

Tunisia's Islamist premier Ali Larayedh on Monday vowed tough action against Ansar al-Sharia after bloody clashes between police and members of the radical Salafist group, hinting at a shift in government policy.

Clashes in Tunis and Kairouan between security forces and Ansar Al-Sharia

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:33:05 +0300

Tunis, Asharq Al-Awsat—Clashes in Tunisia between Salafist extremists and security forces in Tunisia and Kairouan have left one Tunisian citizen dead. Eleven policemen and 3 protesters were also injured in the clashes that followed the government’s decision to ban a conference planned by hardline Salafists.A number of neighborhoods in Tunis witnessed conflict as security forces successfully prevented thousands of Salafists from attending their conference in Kairouan. ...

One dead in Tunisia showdown with Islamists

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:36:19 +0300

Security forces and hardline Islamists fought street battles in Tunis on Sunday, with one protester killed and 15 policemen wounded, after the authorities banned the Salafists from staging their annual congress.

Tunisian Islamist protester killed in clash with police

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:11:45 +0300

* Annual rally by hardline Islamists had been banned * Ansar al-Sharia supporters clash with police in two cities * Transport suspended in parts of capital Tunis (Re-leads with death of protester in Tunis) By Tarek Amara TUNIS, May 19 (Reuters) - One protester died and severalwere injured when Tunisian Islamists defied a ban on theirdemonstration and clashed with police on Sunday. The 27-year-old man was killed in the violence in thecapital Tunis which continued into the evening, the state newsagency said. ...

Tunisian Islamist protester dies in clash with police

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:09:33 +0300

TUNIS, May 19 (Reuters) - A Tunisian man taking part in apro-Islamist protest in Tunisia on Sunday died after clashingwith police, the state news agency said. The agency identified the man as 27-year-old Moez Dahmani. AReuters witness saw several people injured in scuffles withpolice at the protest in the Ettadamen district of the capitalTunis. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Hamadi Jebali: A View from Tunis

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:31:29 +0300

Oxford, Asharq Al-Awsat—With Tunisian elections nominally scheduled to take place before the end of this year, there has been much focus on political divides and infighting in the country’s fledgling democracy.At the same time, Tunisia is dealing with a resurgence of Salafist extremism that will require not only a clear position from the government, but also broader regional and international cooperation. ...

Salafist group clashes with police in Tunisia

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:53:52 +0300

Ansar al-Sharia supporters vent anger at police after they are prevented from defying ban on holding annual congress.

Clashes with protesters erupt in Tunisia's Kairouan

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:43:03 +0300

KAIROUAN, Tunisia, May 19 (Reuters) - Tunisian police firedteargas on Sunday at supporters of radical Islamist group Ansaral-Sharia who were throwing stones at officers in the centralcity of Kairouan, in protest that a rally there by the group wasbarred by the government. (Writing by Tarek Amara; Editing by Alison Williams)

Tunisia salafists clash with police

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:08:34 +0300

Clashes broke out between radical Islamists and police on Sunday in a Tunis suburb where Salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia told supporters to meet for their banned annual congress, an AFP journalist reported.

Tunisian police fire in air to disperse Islamists

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:40:48 +0300

TUNIS, May 19 (Reuters) - Tunisian police fired teargas andshots into the air in Tunis on Sunday to disperse some 500supporters of the hardline Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia whowere protesting and throwing stones at police after their rallywas banned. Tunisia's government on Friday barred the organisation,which openly supports al Qaeda, from staging the rally inanother city on Sunday, saying it posed a threat to publicsecurity. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Alison Williams)

Tunisia bans Salafist group's meeting

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:13:00 +0300

Interior ministry says annual congress would be in violation of law and represents threat to public order.

Tunisia boosts security as Salafists vow to defy ban

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:29:54 +0300

Tunisian security forces deployed in strength on Saturday after Salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia called on its hardline Islamist supporters to defy a government ban on its annual congress.

Opinion: Ennahda will survive the next elections

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:04:03 +0300

Some observers of the Tunisian political scene think that the country will experience a dramatic change as a result of the elections scheduled for the end of the year. However, many of those familiar with the details of the political scene in Tunisia since the time of the revolution—particularly following the elections of October 23, 2011—do not share the same opinion. Nevertheless, we have begun to see a number of changes in Tunisian politics, especially since the election of the Tunisian Constituent Assembly and the formation of an elected government. ...

Opinion: Ennahda will not survive the next elections

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:46:20 +0300

Today, the leaders of the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia are rushing to dominate the forthcoming elections, whether via legitimate or illegitimate means. In the first place, for Ennahda even reaching power was akin to a dream coming true or a lucky strike that will not be repeated, especially given that the Tunisians have learned much from the Ennahda dream—a dream that turned into a terrible nightmare.Following four incidents that turned the country upside down, it may be that the conditions needed to govern do not exist anymore. ...

Tunis to decide 'by Saturday' on Salafist rally ban

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:35:46 +0300

The Tunisian government will decide by Saturday whether to allow or ban Salafists from holding their annual congress, the interior minister said on Friday rejecting "death threats" made by the radical Islamists.

Opinion: The Islamist Divide

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:23:32 +0300

“If you are fools, try stopping us!” This is the title of a campaign being led by an extremist Islamist group in Tunisia. By “fools,” the group is referring to the Islamist Ennahda party and its government. The paradox is that Ennahda Islamists doubt the presence of terrorist groups and condemn the prevention of preaching campaigns and charity activities under the pretext that these are Islamic. But history repeats itself. The Islamist Ennahda government is currently the one issuing the bans.And what is banned today is the Ansar Al-Sharia group. ...

Tunisia Salafists vow to meet in defiance of ban

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:25:24 +0300

Tunisia's hardline Salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia vowed on Thursday to go ahead with its annual congress at the weekend in defiance of a government ban on the controversial gathering.

Tunisia bans Salafist group congress: ruling party

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:34:46 +0300

The Tunisian government has decided to ban the congress of hardline Salafist group Ansar al-Sharia due to take place at the end of this week, the ruling Islamist party's leader said on Wednesday.

Two held in Tunisia for spying for Israel's Mossad

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:06:26 +0300

Tunis, May 14 (IANS/AKI) Two young Tunisians have been arrested over suspicions that they work for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

800 Tunisian Islamists fighting in Syria: minister

Sat, 11 May 2013 22:29:21 +0300

Tunisian Foreign Minister Othmane Jarandi told AFP on Saturday that some 800 Tunisians are fighting in Islamist rebel ranks in Syria and said the country would work to repatriate its citizens taken prisoner there.

Hundreds protest against terrorism in Tunis

Fri, 10 May 2013 17:06:31 +0300

Hundreds of Tunisians, including police, human rights activists and political party representatives, protested on Friday against "terrorism" after the government said two wanted jihadist groups had ties with Al-Qaeda.

Tunisia arrests Libyan "terrorist" entering port with explosives

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:25:52 +0300

(Adds Ghannouchi and background) TUNIS, May 9 (Reuters) - Tunisia said on Thursday police hadarrested a Libyan "terrorist" trying to enter asouthern port with explosives, as security forces wage anationwide campaign against militants. "The anti-terrorism task force ... arrested on Wednesday aterrorist Libyan trying to enter with a quantity of explosivesin Port of Ktef in Ben Guardan," the interior ministry said. ...

Libyan with explosives arrested in Tunisia: ministry

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:49:06 +0300

Tunisian police have arrested a Libyan "terrorist" as he was trying to enter the south of the country with a "quantity of explosives," the interior ministry said on Thursday.

Influential Muslim cleric visits Hamas-ruled Gaza

Wed, 08 May 2013 23:59:18 +0300

By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA, May 8 (Reuters) - Leading Muslim cleric Sheikh Youssefal-Qaradawi paid a high-profile visit to Gaza on Thursday,giving a boost to the Islamist group Hamas that runs theenclave, but also laying bare Palestinian rivalries. Qaradawi, chairman of the International Federation of MuslimClerics, is based in Qatar and has been a vociferous supporterof the revolutions that have shaken the Arab world in the lasttwo years, bringing new governments to Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. ...

Tunisia Al-Qaeda groups will be defeated: PM

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:17:49 +0300

Prime Minister Ali Larayedh insisted on Wednesday that Tunisia's security situation was improving and that fugitive jihadist groups with links to Al-Qaeda would be defeated.

(Blank Headline Received)

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:54:05 +0300

Tunisia says it is hunting al Qaeda-linked militants

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:35:12 +0300

Tunis, May 7 (Reuters) - The Tunisian army and police arehunting militants linked to al-Qaeda near the Algerian border, aspokesman for the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday. Mohamed Ali Aroui told a news conference there were about adozen militants in the city of El Kef and about 20 in the areaof Mount Chambi. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Pravin Char)

Gunmen attack police garrison in Tunisia

Sun, 05 May 2013 05:03:15 +0300

Tunis, May 5 (IANS) Unidentified assailants attacked the national guard garrison near Tunisia's El Kef town in the west of the country, but there were no casualties among the guards, the official TAP news agency reported.

Breakthrough on Tunisia constitution talks: Ennahda

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:00:18 +0300

Politicians have reached an agreement on a future political system in Tunisia, ending a months-old stalemate that had blocked progress on drafting the new constitution, the head of the ruling Islamist party said on Friday.

Tunisian army continues hunt for jihadists

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:24:06 +0300

Tunisia's army Friday pressed its hunt for a jihadist group hiding out in a border region with Algeria, an operation in which 15 security force members have been wounded, the interior ministry said.

Opinion: Elections? Yes, If I Like the Results

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:56:45 +0300

During a recent series of talks I gave in the United States on the Arab Spring, I was often criticized for arguing that the newly elected governments in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen should be given a chance before being subjected to a definite judgement.In that context, Egypt, because of its political weight, was of special importance. After a while, I found myself in the surrealistic position of having to defend Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi against people posing questions from the audience. ...

Tunisia hunting 'armed groups' near Algeria border

Thu, 02 May 2013 19:55:37 +0300

Tunisian security forces were on Thursday hunting two armed jihadist groups near the Algerian border, the interior ministry said, as the authorities battle an Islamist threat that has grown increasingly dangerous.

Tunisia dean 'acquitted of veiled woman assault'

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:41:59 +0300

The Tunisian university dean accused of slapping a veiled female student said he was acquitted on Thursday, in a case that has come to symbolise bristling tensions between Islamists and secularists.

Tunisia forces clash with 50 armed jihadists

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:53:05 +0300

Tunisian security forces clashed on Wednesday with a group of around 50 armed jihadists in the remote Mount Chaambi region, a security source at the scene said.

Tunisia's Ben Ali handed third life sentence

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:02:28 +0300

Tunisia's ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on Tuesday was handed a third life sentence since he fled to Saudi Arabia in January 2011 during a mass uprising against his rule.

Jobless man sets self ablaze in Tunisia revolt town

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:36:58 +0300

A young jobless man set himself ablaze and was seriously wounded on Sunday in front of the town hall of Sidi Bouzid, birthplace of Tunisia's 2011 revolution, witnesses said.

Jews revive annual pilgrimage to Africa's oldest synagogue

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:15:53 +0300

By Tarek Amara DJERBA, Tunisia, April 27 (Reuters) - Africa's oldestsynagogue is playing host to that rarity in the Arab world - areligious gathering of hundreds of Jews drawn from Europe andIsrael. Guarded by armed Tunisian police, Jewish revellers chant anddance in a three-day pilgrimage to the El Ghriba synagogue at anisland resort 500 km south of Tunis. In 2011, after the uprising that toppled former presidentZine El Abidine Ben Ali, the annual celebration was cancelledand in 2012 only a few dozen Jews attended out of fear ofpossible attacks by hardline Islamists. ...

Tunisia court reviews jail terms for Prophet cartoons

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:12:32 +0300

Tunisia's Court of Cassation was on Thursday reviewing the jail terms of two young men for posting cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed on the Internet, a case that has angered the secular opposition.

Arab countries divided over media credibility

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:31:26 +0300

Many in Egypt and Tunisia remain distrustful of news media, says new research on media habits in the Middle East.