By Rachid Karoui
TUNIS
The Tunisian Interior Ministry has said that a "terrorist network" that security forces targeted in a deadly Friday raid in the western Manouba province had been involved in recruiting militants for armed groups in Syria.
According to ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui, the network had also been planning an attack in Tunisia's southern Qibli province.
"Security forces killed six terrorists, including five women, and arrested a terrorist and a woman from a house in the Oued Ellil suburb," Aroui said.
The deadly raid, al-Arawi said, had followed "failed negotiations" with the suspected militants aimed at convincing them to surrender after security forces had captured one of their colleagues in Qibli.
He went on to say that Tunisian forces had managed to rescue two children inside the house at the time, adding that a female bystander was also injured during the gunfight.
The spokesman had earlier said that a policeman had been killed and another injured in the shootout.
The latest violence comes two days ahead of parliamentary polls – the first to be held since the 2011 popular revolt that led to the ouster of strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
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