Tunisia declared a state of emergency throughout the country on 24 November and imposed a curfew on the capital Tunis, after a jihadist attack aboard a bus targeting security forces killed at least 14 people.

It is the second time that the government has taken this action after maintaining the state of emergency for two and a half months, declared after the attack on 26 June, that killed 38 foreign tourists on a beach in the coastal town of Soussa. This time, the security forces arrested about 2,000 people and dismantled dozens of alleged jihadist cells, some of them apparently offering help to the attackers.

"I think it's unfortunate, it's overwhelming. We are experiencing in Tunisia the same thing that happened in Paris. What is happening in all countries is more than painful, but devastating. We must stay and help each other. All countries should be now truly united, and united to fight this terrorism," said Lajmi Saida, a local resident who rushed to the scene of the attack to express sympathy.

The attack on 24 November was allegedly committed by a suicide bomber, who detonated a bomb when a bus carrying presidential security guards was passing the party headquarters of former leader Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

Most of those killed in the attack were presidential guards, according to the EFE news agency. This was the third jihadist attack that Tunisia has suffered this year after Islamic State (Isis)killed 22 foreign tourists on 18 March in the largest Bardo Museum, and the beach attacks in June.

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