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| Tunisia security forces 'killed in militant attack' | Tunisia security forces 'killed in militant attack' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least seven police have been killed in Tunisia in clashes with Islamist militants, reports say. | At least seven police have been killed in Tunisia in clashes with Islamist militants, reports say. |
| A heavy exchange of gunfire was reported in the central region of Sidi Bouzid and at least two militants were also reported killed. | A heavy exchange of gunfire was reported in the central region of Sidi Bouzid and at least two militants were also reported killed. |
| The violence came as the Islamist-led government and opposition began talks to end months of political crisis. | |
| Thousands of anti-government protesters marched through the capital, Tunis, calling on the prime minster to resign. | |
| Parliament speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar said he expected PM Ali Larayedh to announce his intention to stand down. | |
| A coalition led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party was elected in 2011. But some government critics have accused it of being soft on hardline Islamist forces - charges it strongly denies. | |
| Since the popular revolt that sparked the "Arab Spring" in 2011, Tunisia has seen a rise in attacks by militants. | Since the popular revolt that sparked the "Arab Spring" in 2011, Tunisia has seen a rise in attacks by militants. |
| Militant groups | |
| The latest violence comes just days after Tunisian security forces killed at least nine suspected Islamist militants who the authorities said had carried out a deadly attack on a police patrol. | |
| At least three other suspects were arrested in the operation in the Mount Taouyer area, about 70km (44 miles) west of the capital, Tunis. | |
| The interior ministry blamed militants belonging to the Salafist Ansar al-Sharia group, who were also linked to the murders of two secular opposition politicians earlier this year. | |
| Their deaths triggered mass protests against Tunisia's Islamist-led government. | |
| Several other militant groups - including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - also operate in the region. |