Tunisia: Mine explosion leaves one dead, six wounded in Kasserine Dec. 11

Event

A mine explosion in Kasserine province left at least one soldier dead and six others wounded on Monday, December 11. The soldiers reportedly struck the mine during a military patrol near Mount Chambi (Kasserine province) - an area known to harbor Islamist militants.

Context

Tunisian authorities frequently dismantle suspected terrorist cells in counterterrorism operations conducted across the country. Such operations are particularly focused in the western Chambi mountain region (Kasserine province) where a number of terrorist groups are entrenched, including the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

Advice

Individuals in Tunisia are advised to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities, particularly when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Certain Western governments advise against travel to the south of the country (e.g., regions on the borders with Algeria and Libya, and the Kasserine region), due to the presence of armed groups.