CEOAFRICA gathered that Tunisia's president, Moncef Marzouki has announced three days of national mourning for eight officers killed by suspected militants in the central Sidi Bouzidi province.

While speaking on the second anniversary of the country's first free elections President Moncef said the militants were responding "to the painful blow" on 17 October, when security forces killed at least nine suspected Islamist militants who the authorities said had carried out a deadly attack on a police patrol. At least three other suspects were arrested in the operation in the Mount Taouyer area, about 70km (44 miles) west of Tunis.

According to source,the interior ministry blamed militants belonging to the Salafist Ansar al-Sharia group, who were linked to the murders of prominent left-wing figure Chokri Belaid in February and opposition politician Mohammed Brahmi in July.

The president has however paid his respects to the "souls of the martyrs.