Suspected Libyan Al-Qaeda fighters exchanged fire with Tunisian security forces Wednesday, leaving three gunmen and four Tunisian troops, including colonel, dead. The gunmen were wearing belts of explosives and were "terrorists, strongly suspected of belonging to the Al-Qaeda network," a Tunisian security official told AFP.
The interior ministry said nine "terrorists" had opened fire on the Tunisian forces in Rouhia, some 200 kilometres west of Tunis.
Meanwhile, Tunisia has detained 1,400 people in the 10 days since anti-government protests prompted authorities to enforce a curfew and in the capital Tunis, state-run news agency TAP said. The authorities said some 300 were charged with dangerous crimes.
