Tunisian police fire tear gas as rare unrest flares in Tunis and Sfax region
Clashes over recent deaths linked to police come amid a deepening economic, social and political crisis in Tunisia.
At a glance
- Tunisian police fired tear gas at protesters in Tunis and Jebiniana on Thursday over recent deaths linked to police.
- A man detained on suspicion of drug dealing died in Ettadhamen; his family alleged police abuse, while local media said he swallowed drugs.
- The unrest comes amid a deepening economic, social and political crisis and a large protest against President Kais Saied.
Tunisian police clashed with protesters in the capital, Tunis, and in the southern town of Jebiniana on Thursday, in unrest triggered by recent deaths linked to police. The flare-ups coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in Tunisia.
Tear gas in Ettadhamen
Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Ettadhamen, a suburb of the capital, following the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing. The man's family said he died as a result of abuse by police officers after his arrest, and called for the circumstances of his death to be clarified and those responsible held accountable. Local media reported instead that he died after swallowing drugs.
Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones at police. Security forces responded with tear gas while seeking to secure a National Guard station in the area, according to the Reuters news agency.
Clashes in Jebiniana and protests in Sfax
In Jebiniana, in Sfax governorate, police clashed with protesters following the death of a man whose relatives said he died while being chased by security forces. Tunisian media reported that protesters set a vehicle ablaze and burned tyres, while police used tear gas against them.
Students in the coastal city of Sfax protested another civilian death, blaming ambulance services for the death of a female student who suffered a cardiac problem. Her colleagues said ambulance personnel took too long to arrive, citing a lack of medical facilities, and called for a strike at Sfax University's faculties on Friday.
Fears of wider unrest
The clashes have heightened fears of a wider wave of violent protests as anger grows over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services.
On Saturday, thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years in the capital, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy in a growing challenge to his rule.
A Tunisian military court on Wednesday sentenced opposition politician Olfa Hamdi to four years in prison on charges of plotting against state security and inciting the military to disobey orders, the latest move against opponents of Saied.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why are there protests in Tunisia?
- Protests broke out in Tunis and Jebiniana over recent deaths linked to police, according to Al Jazeera. The unrest coincides with a deepening economic, social and political crisis and anger over poor public services.
- What happened during the clashes in Tunis?
- In the Ettadhamen suburb, protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones, and police fired tear gas while seeking to secure a National Guard station, Reuters reported. The unrest followed the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing.
- Who is Olfa Hamdi and what was her sentence?
- Olfa Hamdi is a Tunisian opposition politician. A military court sentenced her on Wednesday to four years in prison on charges of plotting against state security and inciting the military to disobey orders.
