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Militant Raid kills 14 Tunisian Soldiers

A Militant attack near the Algerian border, has killed at least 14 Tunisian soldiers with 20 others injured, the defence ministry says. Tunisia’s Tap News … Continue reading Militant Raid kills 14 Tunisian Soldiers


tunisian soldierA Militant attack near the Algerian border, has killed at least 14 Tunisian soldiers with 20 others injured, the defence ministry says.

Tunisia’s Tap News Agency reported that the soldiers were attacked “by terrorist group” on Wednesday evening as they were breaking their fast as part of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.

Gunmen armed with rocket-propelled grenades and rifles, raided two checkpoints near Mount Chaambi. This is the heaviest death toll registered by the army since Tunisians independence in 1956.

The Tunisian army has been waging a crackdown on militants operating in the mountainous region over the past year.

Islamist militants, including fighters linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb (AQIM), are believed to be hiding out in the border region.

A group called the Okba Ben Nafaa Brigade has reportedly said it carried out the attack in a post on its Facebook page.

The Tunisian President,  Moncef Marzouki, has declared three days of mourning starting on Thursday, Tunisian TV reports.

Eight soldiers were killed in an attack in the Mount Chaambi district in July 2013, days before the assassination of secular politician Mohamed Brahmi.