Nine killed in Tunisia clashes

Seven members of Tunisia's National Guard and two Islamist militants were killed on Wednesday in clashes between both sides in the southern town of Sidi Bouzid, Al Arabiya TV quoted the interior ministry as saying.

The incident occurred just days after Tunisian security forces killed 10 Islamist militants, who authorities said belonged to the Ansar al-Sharia group, near the Algerian border.

A hospital source in the Sidi Ali Ben Aoun locality, where the gun battle took place, said three policemen were killed.