Militants slay 8 soldiers in ‘terror’ attack
TUNIS: Gunmen killed at least eight Tunisian soldiers on Monday, staging the biggest attack on the security forces in decades as political tensions rose between supporters and opponents of the Islamist-led government.
President Moncef Marzouki called the ambush on Mt Chaambi, near the Algerian border, a ‘‘terrorist attack’’ and announced three days of mourning. Tunisian troops have been trying to track down Islamist militants in the remote region since December.
Tunisians fear they may be sliding into one of the worst crises in their political transition since autocratic leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee during a 2011 uprising that set off revolts across the Middle East.
‘‘In all countries of the world, when the state faces a terrorist attack, people come together. But I don’t see anything like that happening in Tunisia. All we see is divisions and chaos,’’ Mr Marzouki said in a televised address. ‘‘I call on all politicians at this historic moment to stand for the nation and unite.’’
Residents said thousands took to the streets in the town of al-Qasreen, near the site of the attack on the army, and many protesters were demanding the government’s ouster.
In the capital, Tunis, more than 10,000 took to the streets in one of the biggest protests since the opposition began mobilising against the government.
‘‘Tunisia is free, out with terrorism, out with Ghannouchi,’’ protesters shouted, referring to Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda party.
‘‘Since [Ennahda] came, all we have seen is a string of catastrophes,’’ said protester Noura Saleh.
State television cut off normal programming to show pictures of the dead soldiers and wounded comrades, broadcasting Koranic verses and patriotic anthems in the background.