The Interior Ministry claimed to have killed nine terrorists and captured four last week in Beja; one of those killed was said to be Ansar al Sharia operative Lotfi Ezzine, a suspect in the assassinations of moderate political leaders Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi. Ezzine was reportedly detained during a raid in Sousse in August. Ongoing military operations against terrorists in the Jebel Chaambi area have produced few arrests. An expert on Islamic groups disputed Prime Minister Lareyedh’s recent claim to have “dismantled” Ansar al Sharia, and also said extremists control over 100 mosques in Tunisia.
