The old regime tries to resist. The militias of the former Tunisian President Ben Ali are not there to lose everything. They fear the purge after 23 years of unchallenged rule. So in the evening the army under the command of the new leadership from the assault on the presidential palace in Carthage, a suburb of Tunis, where they holed up some elements of the presidential guard loyal to Ben Ali.A real battle broke out and many people manage to escape from the building. Meanwhile, the TV 'Al Jazeera' announces that former Interior Minister Rafik Hadi Kacem, was arrested in Beja, his hometown. Ben Ali's brother, Kaies Ben Ali, according to state television is now in prison after he was stopped on the outskirts of Tunis along with four policemen, trying to cover his escape, opened fire killing four people and wounding 11.
The clashes between the army and the militias of former president going on at noon. At 3:30 pm Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the main street of Tunis, is already empty. Outside the Ministry of the Interior two ambulances arrive. Leaving some armed men began shooting. The army returned fire. He shoots well outside the headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party, the Christian right behind the cathedral.
The power of today against what threatens the purge. The regime tries to resist expulsion by the objective and more importantly, the Interior Ministry, always a symbol of the Tunisian power, now more important than ever because that's where he was arrested Sertarì Ali, head of the national security of Ben Ali accused of having organized the repression of civilians in the events of recent days.
Shortly before 17 some snipers began shooting from the roofs of buildings. For an hour in the background there are the blows of the only automatic weapons. The tanks began to move, threatening the helicopters flying over the sky of the capital. The army also used heavy weapons. Turn on the streets is almost impossible.
To reach the downtown hotels have to run to the plain walls, cross Avenue Habib Bourguiba with his hands up and hope that no shots. After an hour everything was quiet: the shots of gunfire no longer feel the muezzin begins to sing. The military say they have arrested seven snipers, they killed gunmen in front of the Central Bank, they arrested 3,000 police officers, but the regime refuses to give up.
And in the evening the troops still loyal to Ben Ali are attacked in Carthage, seat of the presidential palace. New victims - is difficult, almost impossible to tell how many people have died so far in the revolution of Tunisia. Among the victims of today is certainly Imed Trabelsi, nephew of the wife of former President Ben Ali and influential businessman, who died in the military hospital in Tunis following a stab wound reported two days ago.
It would be expired on Friday, adviser and spokesman for Ben Ali, Abdelaziz Bin Dhiya. This was announced by the Tunisian radio 'Kalima', explaining that his heart would have stopped after learning of the escape from TV's Ben Ali from Tunisia. On the road a group of gunmen killed a youth in downtown Tunis, and in the suburb of Kram two people were killed by police during a shootout.
It 'died this morning, the French photographer Agency EPA, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, 32, wounded Friday by throwing a tear gas grenade. Tomorrow, the new government - in Tunis and in several other cities of the country's inhabitants are trying to organize defense committees to prevent looting.
The main trade union in the country, the only recognized during the regime has launched an appeal on national television for the formation of safety committees in the district. Looting and violence, according to several members of the opposition, would be by men linked to Ben Ali, who hope thus to plunge the country into anarchy.
In this regard, today there was news of Kais Ben Ali, grandson of former president, who was arrested in Msaken, in central Tunisia, as well as a band was firing wildly in the city. Certainly today, the Tunisian authorities have issued an arrest warrant to Ben Ali, now in exile in Jeddah.
Meanwhile, some opposition members have said that the composition of the new Tunisian government will be announced tomorrow. This was decided by Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi after consultation with opposition parties. The new government of national unity should be part of three opposition leaders and even some ministers outgoing administration, which will be confirmed.
Stefano Virgin
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