Share

Tunisia extends state of emergency

Tunis - Tunisia extended for another two months on Tuesday a state of emergency imposed after a deadly November bus bombing claimed by the Islamic State group, the presidency said.

President Beji Caid Essebsi has "decided on an extension of the state of emergency over all the territory" of the country "until February 21 2016", a statement said.

It had been due to expire on Wednesday. It was imposed on November 24 following a suicide attack in the capital that killed 12 presidential guards.

The measure gives authorities the power to prohibit strikes by workers and meetings that might stoke unrest, as well as to close entertainment venues and bars and to censor the press.

In addition to the state of emergency, the authorities also imposed a curfew on Tunis and closed the border with Libya, where investigators believe the attack was planned.

Both of those measures were lifted earlier this month.

Tunisia, the cradle of the Arab Spring uprisings, has been plagued by Islamist violence since the 2011 overthrow of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, with three IS-claimed attacks this year.

The earlier attacks - at the capital's National Bardo Museum and on a hotel near the Mediterranean resort of Sousse - killed a total of 60 people, all but one of them foreign tourists.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed. 
Subscribe to News24
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think South Africa has descended into a mafia state?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, that’s a bit extreme
7% - 419 votes
Yes, and it’s becoming normalised
93% - 5812 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
17.86
-0.3%
Rand - Pound
22.12
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
19.46
-0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
11.98
-0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.13
+0.1%
Platinum
983.23
+1.5%
Palladium
1,469.77
+1.5%
Gold
1,978.90
-0.1%
Silver
23.86
-0.2%
Brent Crude
79.27
+1.3%
Top 40
71,089
0.0%
All Share
76,705
0.0%
Resource 10
67,517
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,222
0.0%
Financial 15
15,634
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE