Tag: Beji Caid Essebsi

Tunis, Tunisia - On Monday afternoon, a suicide bomb blast struck Habib Bourguiba Avenue, one of the most iconic and heavily protected places in the heart of the Tunisian capital, Tunis. A female attacker reportedly used a hand-made explosive device to target a police van, wounding at least nine people. Though much more limited in its scope and nature, Monday's explosion shook Tunisians and served as a reminder that the country's security threats are far from gone. "It's really regrettable," said Messaoud Romdhani, president of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights. "It should make us think why we haven't got rid of terrorism? This year, Tunisia has been rocked by months of political turmoil which saw last month the end to the four-year alliance between the secular Nidaa Tounes party and the Islamist party Ennahdha. But in a country struggling with high unemployment and inflation, the focus should not just be on strengthening security but also on improving the socioeconomic standards of those living on the margins, added Brahem, referring to the disadvantaged status of the suicide bomber, identified as 30-year-old Mouna Kebla. Romdhani stressed that heavy-handed security should not be the focus in that fight. "We have no other choice, violence is not an option," he added, urging civil society to play its part in making people aware of the need to change politics. "I think terrorism today does not pose a threat to Tunisians nor tourists in Tunisia," said Brahem.