Tunisia extends ‘state of emergency’ for three months

In force since November 24, 2015, following the militant attack against a presidential guard bus, the emergency state will be extended to another three months as of March 23, according to a Presidency of the Republic press release, Tuesday.
Decided by President Beji Caid Essebsi, this measure was made after consultation with Prime Minister Habib Essid and House of People’s Representatives Speaker Mohamed Ennaceur.
Daesh has launched multiple attacks in Tunisia in 2016. In March, an attack on Ben Guerdane, near the Libyan border, left over two dozen killed. While Tunisia has increased its border security and patrol, Daesh remains a growing threat to the country.
Multiple clashes with militants have been reported over the weekend in Kasserine. Since Saturday’s clashes between the army and Daesh militants in Jebel Semmama (governorate of Kasserine), the hunt for more militants connected to the fighting in the region is still on, according to a National Defence Ministry press release Tuesday.
The combing operation has been carried on following the discovery of blood traces of injured militants during clashes.
At the end of last week, the military forces discovered camping places of Daesh militants and personal belongings in addition to over one thousand cartridge cases of various calibres, a gun and 11 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.