French told to be careful in Tunisia

France has called on its citizens in Tunisia to take extra care and be cautious, a statement published on the Foreign Ministry’s website said yesterday.

The calls come a day after Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi announced the extension of the state of emergency in the country for another three months.

The new French Ambassador in Tunis, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, who took office a month ago, told the RTL radio station that “securing the safety of French people here” was his priority. “There are 30,000 French people in Tunisia, of whom almost 15,000 are students studying in French institutes, and they may be subjected to any risk and we must protect them.”

A state of emergency was decreed in Tunisia on 24 November 2015 following the terrorist attack on a presidential guard bus in Mohamed V Avenue in Tunis that left 12 dead and injured 20 others. It was later extended for one month in September.