Tunisia: three "terrorists" shot dead in a mountainous area

Three "terrorists" were shot dead on Wednesday during an operation carried out by National Guard (gendarmerie) officers and military personnel in a mountainous area in west-central Tunisia, the Interior Ministry said.

They were killed during an ongoing anti-terrorist operation in the mountainous area of Kasserine, a town close to the border with Algeria.

"One soldier was wounded by terrorist fire", gendarmerie spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli told AFP.

This operation "reinforced by an air force unit" also led to the seizure of explosives, ammunition, and weapons, the ministry added, without giving details.

Since its revolution in 2011, Tunisia has seen a rise in the jihadist movement, responsible for the deaths of dozens of soldiers and police officers, as well as civilians and foreign tourists.

In recent years, the authorities claim to have made significant progress in the fight against jihadists.

Regular sweeps are carried out by the security forces in the mountainous area of Kasserine, which remains a hideout for jihadist elements.