Tunisian government sacks 18 governors, disperses and detains protesters

Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa has sacked 18 governors from 24 assigned by his predecessor Ali Al Arrayed, a prominent leader in Ennahdha movement, Interior Minister Lotfi bin-Jiddo said on Friday.

In a statement Bin-Jiddo said that the Prime Minister’s decision came as part of the framework agreement of the roadmap to neutralise the administration of the country.

Meanwhile, security forces prevented a number of rebels’ supporters from gathering on Friday afternoon in front of the government’s headquarters in Al-Qasabah Square.

The protesters wanted to demonstrate against the detention of the head of the League for Protecting the Revolution in Al Karm – on the outskirts of Tunis – Imad Dogej.

Security sources said that the protestors started to arrive in Al-Qasabah Square after the Friday Prayer and that they used force to disperse them after they did not respond to peaceful dispersal attempts. “The force used did not exceed the limits of law,” the sources said.

According to the security forces, a number of the protesters were arrested after clashes between them and the demonstrators.

The call for the gathering was launched via social media.