Tunisia pays tribute to soldiers killed by mine

Tunisian President Kais Saied has paid tribute to four soldiers killed during an attack this week. 

President Saied at a ceremony in Tunis on Thursday in honour of the soldiers, promised to win the fight against terrorism. "We will win because we will never accept defeat, we will accept only victory, either death or victory. I am sure that we will win to comfort Tunisia, its people, and the families of these heroes, may God give them peace."

According to authorities, the soldiers died after a land mine hit their vehicle while they were carrying out a sweep for Islamist extremists in a mountainous region near the Algerian border.

"We will continue the battle and confront these criminals and those who stand behind them to strike the Tunisian state, with the same high fighting spirit" Saied said during the ceremony.

On Wednesday Defence Ministry spokesperson Mohamed Zekri blamed the Jound Al Khalifa brigade, a group close to al Qaida's North African branch, for the attack.

The group has carried out numerous killings in Tunisia.

Last year militants tried to attack the U.S. embassy in Tunis, killing a policeman at a security point with a suicide vest.