Tunisia extends state of emergency to combat terrorism

Ahmed Adel

Tunisia’s Interim President Mohamed Ennaceur extended the country’s state of emergency for another month as of August 4. The move is part of preparations for early presidential polls due by mid-September after the death of President Beji Caid Essebsi.

Tunisia’s interior ministry announced the killing of Seifeddine Jamali, one of the country’s most dangerous terrorists.

In May, late Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi extended the state of emergency for one month.

The state of emergency in Tunisia was first declared in November 2015, following a bloody bomb attack on a bus of the presidential guard, killing 13personnel and wounding others.

Tunisian emergency law allows the authorities exceptional powers, including carrying out home arrests, banning official meetings, imposing curfews, monitoring media and press, prohibiting assemblies and media censorship without prior permission from the judiciary.

Political analyst Mohamed Rabie El-Dihy said the extension of the state of emergency is “is a must” after the death of President Essebsi.

“The objective is to protect the country from any possible attack by terrorist groups on the backdrop of schemes of the Muslim Brotherhood to seize power ahead of the presidential and legislative elections after the death of the President Essebsi,” El-Dihy told THE REFERENCE.

He said late President Essebsi was an adamant leader in the face of terrorism.

El-Dihy described the killing of Seifeddine Jamali as a blow to Jund al-Khilafah, or Soldiers of the Caliphate.

The political analyst expects an escalation of terrorist attacks after Jamali’s killing as the presidential and parliamentary polls near.