Tunisian PM chairs emergency cabinet meeting over security

Tunisia's Prime Minister Habib Essid held an emergency meeting Saturday with the Ministers of Defense and Interior Affairs to discuss security measures adopted by the government to address anger protests.

The meeting took up dangers of the violent protesting and possible attacks to be launched against the security forces and buildings.

Also, the ministers studied plans set to identify and fight terrorist elements trying to lurk amongst the peaceful demonstrators according to intelligence received by the security apparatuses.

The meeting agenda included cooperation between the army and police to secure events expected to be organize on the fifth anniversary of the Tunisian revolution that ousted longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Anger erupted over the death on January 16 of Ridha Yahyaoui, a 28-year-old unemployed man who was electrocuted when he climbed a power pole while protesting in the central town of Kasserine.

The unrest spread around the country, including Tunis where shops were burnt and looted in one suburb, prompting the interior ministry on Friday to impose a 8:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew.

Source: MENA