Tunisia disperses rally against Essebsi victory announcement
Tunisian security forces on Monday used teargas to disperse a protest in the southern Gabes province after presidential candidate Beji Caid Essebsi declared victory
TUNIS
Tunisian security forces on Monday used teargas to disperse a protest in the southern Gabes province after presidential candidate Beji Caid Essebsi declared victory in Sunday's presidential runoff.
Protesters took to the streets in the province following a declaration by the Essebsi campaign that its candidate had won the polls.
Thirteen policemen were injured and a security facility torched during the protest, security official Nabil al-Magai told The Anadolu Agency.
He said, however, that no casualties had been reported among the protesters.
Monday's protests came only one day after a similar demonstration in the province amid reports of Essebsi's electoral victory.
Exit polls showed Essebsi, who served as parliament speaker under ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, leading Sunday's runoff vote against caretaker President Moncef Marzouki.
The poll, billed as Tunisia's first free presidential election, was the first since Ben Ali was ousted in a popular uprising in 2011.
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