Tunisia: Fear Of Salafist Retaliation

The Tunisian police and army were deployed Wednesday in the neighborhood of Manouba, a suburb of Tunis, to prevent any further violence after clashes with Salafists overnight, said the Ministry of the Interior. “There is a great reinforcement of security forces and the national guard to prevent retaliation” by the radical Islamist movement, said Khaled Tarrouche, spokesman for the ministry.

He assured that the security forces will use “all the measures allowed by law” in the event of further violence, suggesting that ammunition will be used in case of confrontation.

Salafi jihadist militants allegedly attacked Tuesday evening two stations of the National Guard – the equivalent of the police – after the arrest of one of them, wounding two officers. The security forces retaliated, killing one of the attackers.

A police source spoke about a second death, but Mr. Tarrouche denied this information.

This violence is the most serious clashes involving the Salafi movement since the attack on September 14th against the Embassy of the United States. The government, dominated by the Islamist party Ennahda, is accused by the opposition of ignoring the acts of the Salafi jihadists who are responsible for many some bloody acts, since the revolution of 2011.

After the attack on the U.S. Embassy by Salafi militant (four deaths among the attackers), the authorities assured to be determined fight against violent activists of this movement.