The Tunisian army launched a “huge” land and air operation against Islamist militants hiding in remote mountains near the Algerian border, the armed forces spokesman announced on Friday, AFP reported.
“A huge operation, with ground and air units, was launched at dawn,” he told Mosaique FM radio.
The spokesman said the assault was mounted after clashes on Thursday night between soldiers and “a terrorist group”, referring to fugitive Islamist militants.
The move comes after a week of violence in the country. Eight Tunisian soldiers were found dead on Monday in Mount Chaambi, an area near the border with Algeria, after an ambush by Islamic militants.