The new interim government met yesterday to review Tunisia’s tense security situation as the United Nations said 210 people died in the popular revolt that ousted strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
It was the first meeting of Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi’s government since it was reshuffled on January 27.
A government source, speaking on condition of anonynmity, said the meeting was focusing on security developments around the country, including disturbances in the central town of Kasserine, where public buildings were ransacked and looted on Monday.
The source said a lifting of the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on January 13 appeared premature as “the situation is not yet stabilised”.
Yesterday, hundreds of people rallied in Kasserine to press authorities to end the wave of violence and punish hooligans who looted public buildings on Monday, residents said.
Several officials of the powerful General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) said the violence was instigated by members of Ben Ali’s former RCD ruling party. There was not independent confirmation of the allegation.
The officials condemned what they see as a destabilisation campaign by the transitional administration set up after President Ben Ali’s fall on January 14.
Mr Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia after weeks of violent protests against his 23-year autocratic rule.
Meanwhile, arsonists set fire to a synagogue in the southern Gabes region, a leader of the local Jewish community said yesterday.
“Someone set fire to the synagogue on Monday night and the Torah scrolls were burned,” Trabelsi Perez told AFP, criticising the lack of action by the security services to stop the attack.
In Tunis, the head of a UN human rights mission said yesterday that 219 people were killed and 510 injured during the popular revolt that led to President Ben Ali’s ouster.
Bacre Ndiaye told a press conference that 147 people had been killed since the popular revolt began in mid-December while another 72 had died in the country’s jails.
The head of the UN mission made it clear that these figures were not final and said the world body was continuing its investigations.