Tunisians Call for Abolition of Ben Ali’s Party; Government to Be Announced

17/01/2011 Tunisians took to streets on Monday calling for the abolition of the toppled president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's ruling party, as the prime minister vowed to announce an agreement between the political parties in order to form a new coalition government amid security challenges.

Hundreds of people rallied in Tunis and there were similar protests in Sidi Bouzid and Regueb in central Tunisia -- two towns at the heart of the movement that forced Ben Ali to resign and flee on Friday after 23 years in power.
"With our blood and our soul we are ready to sacrifice ourselves for the martyrs," the protesters in Tunis chanted, referring to the dozens of people reported killed in the protests against Ben Ali.

Meanwhile, and following talks over the weekend Mohamed Ghannouchi promised rapid action to fill the power vacuum, hoping to maintain the momentum of political progress to ward off fresh protests and also undercut gunmen loyal to the ousted president.

"Tomorrow we will announce the new government which will open a new page in the history of Tunisia," he said in a brief statement on Sunday.
Ghannouchi has also pledged "zero tolerance" against anyone threatening the security of the country.

SECURITY

Meanwhile, the country remains volatile, with soldiers fought gunmen loyal to the ousted President, Ben Ali, late into the night of Sunday.

Ben Ali, who had been in power since 1987, fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday following mass protests against his rule over unemployment, food prices and corruption.

A gun battle erupted on Sunday around the presidential palace in Carthage on the Mediterranean shore, while in the capital, Tunis, at least two major firefights broke out - one close to the central bank building, the other near the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement, the PDP said that police and military stopped a car carrying armed men, who it described as foreigners, after which shots were fired.

Separately, security forces killed two armed men stationed on a rooftop near the central bank, a state TV reporter said from the scene.

A military official told the TV station that the men were killed by fire from a helicopter.

Presidential guards loyal to Ben Ali were involved in the shootout in Carthage, about 15km north of Tunis, according to two residents.

The clashes broke out in the afternoon and were marked by sporadic but heavy gunfire, forcing local residents to barricade themselves inside their homes.

But some residents blocked roads with makeshift barriers of branches and bins, in an attempt to protect their homes from looters.

On Saturday, looters emptied shops and torched the main train station and soldiers traded fire with unidentified armed men in front of the interior ministry.

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