Friday, January 14, 2011

Tunisia unrest: Police fire on protesters

 The protests in the capital of Tunisia escalate again. Several protesters have climbed to the roof of the Interior, the police fired tear gas grenades into the crowd. Thousands of European tourists to be flown from the country. Tunis - Tunisia's capital in case of mass demonstrations on Friday is to come again to violent conflict.

Despite an acclaimed speech by President Zine El Abidin Ben Ali, the protests continued in the center away from the Tunis. As one reporter told the news agency, were far from the Ministry of Interior shots heard. Before the buildings are police have fired tear gas grenades, as protesters clambered onto the roof of the building.


Hundreds of protesters took to flight. Groups of angry young people were brought up close to the ministry and had thrown stones at the police, the reporter went on. The North African country has been rocked for weeks of violent mass demonstrations. The official death toll is put at 23, the opposition talks about three times as many casualties of the protests.

Many, especially young people rebel against the miserable economic situation of their country, expensive food and unemployment. State Chairman Ben Ali announced on Thursday the long-term withdrawal from office, and some reforms. First, the population had reacted with jubilation to the speech, but then turned the mood.

In the night it was all over the country come to deadly clashes between the demonstrations and the police. Alone in the city of Ras Jebel to have died of twelve people for information. The agency relies on information from hospital staff. Eyewitnesses reported from Tunis at night chaos and looting.

Because of the unrest, the Foreign Office in Berlin from traveling to the North African tourist destination has been recommended. Tour operators estimate that some 10,000 German tourists staying in Tunisia. The German travel group Thomas Cook thousands of vacationers with special machines can fly from the country.

British holidaymakers are also out of the country.

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