Tunisian security officers protest outside NCA

Tunisian security officials have gathered outside the National Constituent Assembly to demand greater constitutional protection. Military officials, joined by their families in Tunis, called on the government to safeguard security organisations, claiming that security forces had become an easy target, after several soldiers were seriously injured in the landmine explosion at Mount Chaambi on Monday. In a related development, Tunisian police have discovered the body of an officer at the National School of Security Training. The victim had suffered severe neck injuries, thought to have been carried out with a sharp object, and the body was transferred  to Charles Nicolle Hospital for a post-mortem. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has denied reports that Kamal al-Qadqadi, the main suspect in the assassination of the Secretary-General of the Democratic Patriots' Movement Chokri Belaid, has been arrested. Rumours on social networking websites suggested that al-Qadqadi had been detained for the killing of the left-wing politician on February 6, 2013. In a statement, the ministry quashed reports of the arrest, and promised to keep the Tunisian public abreast of developments. On Thursday, Tunisia soldiers continue to scour the mountainous regions in Kasserine Governorate, in an attempt to crackdown on armed groups in the region. The Interior Ministry issued a statement on its Facebook page warning groups from claiming to represent or working on the behalf of the ministry to raise funds for the recovery of soldiers injured in the landmine explosion.