Tunisian rights group calls for help in tackling Salafist attacks

Tunisian Salafist supporters Tunis – Nébil Zaghdoud Tunisia\'s Human Rights Defence League (LTDH), warned of the escalating attacks by Salafists against individuals and properties in Tunisia. The league called on security authorities to bear responsibility for controlling Salafist violence. One of the \"Salafist Jihadists\", has said that he considers these acts as working to achieve the rest of the revolution\'s objectives.
LTDH said, in an official statement, that it is deeply concerned about the escalating violent attacks targeting individuals and properties in various parts of the country, such as Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa, Kairouan, Sousse and el-Kef.
The statement, which was signed by the head of the league, Abdul Sattar Ibn Musa, stated that the degree of violence has reached an unprecedented level.
As a result of this statement, a group of Salafists burned security headquarters, shopping centres and attacked tourist shops. The violence expanded to culture and media institutions, in addition to attacks against a number of intellectuals in several provinces.
Sheikh Hassan Ben Brik, a member of the office of advocacy of Ansar al-Sharia and one of the most prominent Salafist Sheikhs in Tunisia, described the acts as \"an awareness campaign aimed at closing bars that sell alcohol, especially after many citizens complained in Sidi Bouzid and Jendouba\".
He also pointed out that Salafists aimed to defend citizens from the abuses they face from drunks and bar owners, and did not intend to use violence at first. However, Ben Brik added that the situation escalated, and ended in an unpleasant way.
He justified these violations, saying that the objectives of the revolution haven\'t yet been achieved, and these operations were a continuation of the revolution.
The Sheikh also called on the security authorities to stand in unity with the supporters of the Salafists.