Tunisian PM urges national unity to counter terrorism

Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Larayedh on Saturday urged compatriots and politicians of different political hues to unite to face the growing threat of terrorism after the killing of eight soldiers in a major militant attack on army convoy in southwest Tunisia on Monday. "The fight against terrorism needs relentless efforts, plans, and non-stop consultation to contain and eliminate this phenomenon," Larayedh said in a press statement following a meeting with political leaders and officials to discuss the strategy to deal with the threat of terrorism. The meeting was attended by presidents and representatives of political parties and professional organizations as well as senior security and military officials and media and national personalities and several government members. The Prime Minister also stressed the need for national unity and ironing out of difference to stand up for this dangerous phenomenon. "Countering extremism is a collective action that requires cooperation among all governmental and non-government organizations as well as the whole society," he said. He underlined the need to put in place anti-terrorism law to crackdown on terrorists and urged all Tunisian to help security bodies focus on this battle and not to distract its attention and waste its efforts in following up and protecting protests and rallies. Larayedh revealed that the security agencies have managed to abort a terrorist plot to assassinate a third political figure, but he omitted to name the targeted figure. He also unveiled that there is broad cooperation between Tunisian and Algerian anti-terror security agencies to hunt militants on border areas.