Clashes break out in southern Tunisia as protest over pollution turns violent

Clashes broke out in the southern Tunisian city of Gabes on Wednesday during a rally by protesters denouncing decades of pollution and environmental neglect.

The demonstrators had marched onto a phosphate-processing plant of the Groupe Chimique Tunisien when police fired tear gas to disperse them.

A number of people were injured in the clashes.

The protests were triggered by a recent gas leak that sent dozens to the hospital with respiratory issues, including children.

While the incident was contained, it has revived deep anger over long-standing health and environmental impacts tied to the phosphate industry.

Groupe Chimique Tunisien, a state-owned company, plays a central role in Tunisia’s economy by supplying fertilizer to markets across Europe and Asia.

But in Gabes, where the plant operates near residential areas, locals have long reported elevated cancer rates, polluted air and water, and damage to marine life.

A 2017 government pledge to relocate the facility remains unfulfilled.