Acting President Sworn In After Tunisia Riots

Tunisia's parliamentary speaker has been sworn in as interim president after violent unrest forced the nation's leader to flee.

 

Fouad Mebazaa took an oath of office after a ruling by the country's constitutional authority, which also said presidential elections must be held within 60 days.

It followed prime minister Mohammed Ghannouchi saying on Friday he was taking over as interim president after ousted Zine al Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

Mr Ben Ali, who served as president for more than 23 years, took refuge in the kingdom following weeks of protests over poverty, unemployment and repression.

Mr Ghannouchi said he had accepted Mr Mebazaa's request on state television that he form a coalition government.

Reuters news agency is also reporting the country's head of presidential security has been arrested.

And fresh reports suggested around 1,000 inmates escaped and dozens were killed as they tried to break out of prison in the coastal town of Mahdia.

A top official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the facility's director decided to open the prison gates to prevent further bloodshed.

"They tried to escape and the police fired on them. Now there are tens of people dead and everybody has escaped," said Imed, who lives near the facility in Mahdia.

Reports elsewhere said 42 people died after fires were started at a jail in Monastir, south of capital Tunis, after mattresses were set alight.

Army roadblocks have stopped access to Bourguiba Avenue, Tunis' main thoroughfare and scene of clashes between protesters and riot police on Friday.

Several hundred soldiers as well as tanks, military jeeps and armoured personnel carriers manned the approaching roads, still littered with the debris from the violence.

In city suburbs, people lined the streets with metal bars and knives to ward off looters.

But reports have emerged about squads of men shooting at random from cars in Tunis.

It was not clear who the assailants were but a senior military source told Reuters news agency that people affiliated to Ben Ali were behind the attacks.

A house belonging to the family of the ousted president was set on fire amid the chaos that has engulfed the country.

It was not clear if protesters would accept the new power arrangement because of Mr Mebazaa and Mr Ghannouchi's links to Mr Ben Ali's rule.

The fall of Mr Ben Ali follows the country's largest protests in generations.

Thousands of Tunisians had joined the violence that spread from provincial towns to Tunis.

The government said at least 23 people have died in the riots, but opposition members have put the death toll at more than three times that.

Foreign Secretary William Hague "condemned wholeheartedly" the recent violence and looting.

He said: "I welcome the efforts of the Tunisian authorities to hold elections as soon as possible and hope these elections are free and fair."

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