Violence breaks out between police and militants on Libya-Tunisia border; 26 people killed

Tunis, Tunisia: Tunisian authorities say 26 people have been killed in clashes between Tunisian police and unidentified gunmen near the Libyan border. [caption id=“attachment_2660988” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AP[/caption] The interior and defense ministries said in a joint statement on Monday that the dead included 21 attackers, one Tunisian soldier and four civilians. A 12-year-old girl was among the civilians who were killed. Interior Ministry spokesman Yasser Mosbah earlier told The Associated Press the gunmen targeted a police station and military facilities on dawn on Monday in the border town of Ben Guerdane in eastern Tunisia. The violence comes amid increasing international concern about Islamic State extremists in Libya. Tunisia’s fledgling democratic government is especially worried after dozens of tourists were killed in extremist attacks in Tunisia last year. AP