Tunisian security forces Tunis – Nabil Zaghdoud One gunman was killed and six security men wounded during a shootout between joint security forces and “bearded” gunmen in an unprecedented incident since Islamists took over the country last December.
Tunisian securityand media sources stated that the shooting - which started at 11am local time on Wednesday and went on until 8pm - between the armed group and the Tunisian internal security forces led the to army intervention by sending helicopters in order to chase the gunmen through the Olive Forest in the Sfax governorate, 250km south of Tunis.
According to local radio, the clashes in the forest led to the injury of 6 gendarmes, of which one was seriously wounded and transferred to the closest hospital.
Informed sources told ‘Arabstoday’ that a group of citizens are held hostages by the armed group, after they had infiltrated further into the Olive Forests.
The ministries of Interior and Defence sent out reinforcements to the region, which was declared a closed military zone where civilians were prevented access. In addition, all entrances to Sfax were closed and military checkpoints set up to check the identities of those leaving the city.
According to Mohamed Tounsi, Secretary General of the Union of the National Guard in Sfax, the incident started when the police discovered the presence of armed men in a car. The officers chased the vehicle until they reached the region of Bir Ali Ben Khalifa. A cache of weapons and ammunition was also confiscated from the car. Tounsi stated that the incident did not present a danger to the people residing in the region.
Tunisian Interior Minister Ali Al-Arid had previously announced the confiscation of a supply of weapons and ammunition. He refused to give further details.
“The safety of the Tunisian national security and the success of the process, require the reservation of some security information, particularly as the chase is still ongoing,” Al-Arid stated.
The Interior Minister refused to accuse any party of being behind the incidents until investigation results were announced.
Tunisian News Agency (TAP) earlier reported that a security source said that the operation had not caused any injuries so far, pointing out that security units were controlling the situation there and surrounded the three bearded gunmen driving a car and carrying Kalashnikovs.
The source added that the man-hunt started in Sfax early Thursday morning upon receiving information on the presence of armed forces in that area. However the source did not mention any details about the insurgents' affiliations or their identities.
Tunisian security was reported to have confiscated a large amount of weapons in various regions in the country in a few months. In addition, several armed clashes with “suspicious” elements have been reported. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry denied, in a statement issued last Saturday, the news circulated about the existence of armed Salafist “training camps” in Bizerte province.
Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki cancelled his scheduled visit to Siliana province, in order to supervise the security operation supported by the military helicopters, in chasing the three armed men.