AFP, ZARZIS, Tunisia: Tunisian forces killed 21 jihadists who attacked police and army posts near the Libyan border on Monday in a new spillover of violence that also saw four civilians killed.
It was the second deadly clash in the border area in less than a week. The defence ministry said that a soldier was also killed in the fighting for an army barracks in the town of Ben Guerdane.
Hospital official Abdelkrim Chafroud said that a 12-year-old was among the dead civilians. He said two security agents were also killed.
Six militants were wounded and detained, defence ministry spokesman Rachid Bouhoula told AFP.
The interior ministry said the militants also attacked a police station and a National Guard post in the town, but those attacks too were repulsed.