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Tunisia's police and demonstrators clash in third night of protests

03 December 2019 03:26 (UTC +04:00)

Clashes erupted on Monday between protesters and Tunisian police who fired tear gas to disperse them in the southern town of Jelma, the third consecutive night of protest against poverty and lack of opportunity, witnesses said, APA rpeorts quoting Reuters.

Protests began on Saturday, a day after Abdelwaheb Hablani, 25, set himself on fire and died in hospital in protest at poverty and poor living conditions, echoing the 2010 self immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi, whose death triggered the Arab Spring.

Hablani had occasional work as a casual laborer in Jelma, located near Bouazizi’s home city of Sidi Bouzid in Tunisia’s deeply impoverished interior. He was buried on Saturday.

Witnesses told Reuters security forces fired tear gas and were chasing youths protesting in the streets of Jelma.

Protesters blocked roads and burned tires.