Tunisian police clash with protesters in capital on day of heightened tensions

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Tunisian police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Ettadhamen, a suburb of the capital, after the death of a man detained on suspicion of drug dealing, amid clashes with police in two towns in southern Tunisia.

The conflicts on Thursday coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in the country, heightening fears of a wider wave of violent protests as anger grows over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services.

The man’s family said he died as a result of violence by police officers after his arrest, calling for the circumstances of his death to be clarified and those responsible to be held accountable. Local media, however, reported that he died after swallowing drugs. The interior ministry was not immediately available for comment.

Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones at police. Security forces responded by firing tear gas, while seeking to secure a National Guard station in the area.

Earlier on Thursday, police clashed with protesters in the southern town of Jebeniana following the death of a man who his relatives say died during a security chase. The city of Agareb, also in Sfax governorate, witnessed similar clashes.

In the city of Sfax, students protested on Thursday over the death of a female student who suffered a cardiac problem. Her colleagues said ambulance personnel took too long to arrive, citing a lack of medical facilities, and called for a strike at Sfax’s faculties on Friday.

Thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years in the capital on Saturday, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy in a growing challenge to his rule.

(Reporting By Tarek Amara; editing by Edward Tobin)