TUNIS (Reuters) - Four civilians were killed on Monday in clashes with police in the Tunisian town of Gassrine, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday, bringing the official death toll in public unrest since the New Year to 18.
"The town of Gassrine experienced violence, arson and groups attacking police stations ... armed with Molotov cocktails and iron bars," the ministry said in a statement.
"The police were obliged to defend themselves. They fired warning shots in the air but the throwing of Molotov cocktails intensified and this caused four deaths among the attackers and eight cases of injuries and burns among the police."
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Peter Graff)
