9 killed in Tunisian anti-terrorism operations
By Associated Press, Associated Press
Mar 29, 2015 5:34 AM CDT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tens of thousands of Tunisians from across the political spectrum marched through the capital Sunday to denounce extremist violence after a deadly museum attack on foreign tourists. Hours ahead of the rally, security forces killed nine terrorist suspects in raids around the country.

French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and several foreign ministers and legislators from other countries are joining an anti-terrorism ceremony in Tunis after the march.

The Tunisian government called on all major political parties to join the march from the seat of government at Bab Es-Saadoun to the museum.

The international visitors are showing solidarity with Tunisia, whose fragile new democracy was deeply shaken by the March 18 attack on the National Bardo Museum. Assailants killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, and two of the gunmen were killed in an ensuing shootout with police.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, though authorities have not found the suspected mastermind.

Tunisian protesters unleashed revolts across the region known as the Arab Spring, and Tunisia is the only country to have built a democratic system as a result.

Authorities are struggling with scattered extremist violence linked to various radical Islamic groups, largely linked to neighboring countries Algeria or Libya.

Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Aroui said Sunday that nine suspected "terrorists" were killed when security forces clashed with the suspects in the southwest region of Sidi Aich, near the Algerian border. He said several extremists were wounded in another clash in the northwest region of Kef, as part of security operations around the country ahead of the march.