At least 53 dead in Tunisia after clashes near Libyan border

Deadly clashes between Tunisian forces and extremist attackers have left at least 53 people dead near Tunisia's border with Libya, the government said, amid growing fear that violence from Libya could destabilise the whole region.

Gunmen attacked the city of Ben Guerdane at dawn on Monday and fighting continued into the evening. Tunisia closed its border with Libya and the Tunisian interior and defence ministers travelled to the town to oversee the operation, according to a joint statement from their ministries.