Tunisia: President donates salary to fight terror, urges citizens to do same

Tunisian President, Caid Essebsi; made an appeal on Saturday in the capital Tunis for Tunisians home and abroad, to give donations to a newly-created fund to raise money to fight terror.

According to Tunisia’s state news agency TAP, the President donated one month of his salary to the cause.

The president urged Tunisians to make donations “in support of military and security institutions as well as the national efforts to combat terrorism,” according to the agency.

Tunisia calls for day’s wages to fight terrorism: Statement came after President Beji Caid Essebsi donated month's salary to the fund…

— Atif Paracha (@Atif_Paracha) March 12, 2016

The call came after jihadist fighters launched a wave of attacks on army and police posts in the border town of Ben Guerdane in southeastern border with Libya.

The assault and ensuing running battles around the town left 49 jihadist fighters, 13 members of the security forces and seven civilians dead.

No one has claimed of responsibility for the attacks, but Tunisia’s authorities have blamed them on the Islamic State (IS).

IS has taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha close to the Tunisian border.

Tunisia has also built a 200km barrier that stretches about half the length of its border in an attempt to stop fighter incursions from Libya.