Sidi Ali Ben Aoun conflict
DateOctober 23, 2013
Location
Tunisia Sidi Ali Ben Aoun, Tunisia
34°51′N 9°2′E / 34.850°N 9.033°E / 34.850; 9.033
Belligerents
Tunisian National Guard Ansar al-Sharia
Commanders and leaders

• Imed Hizi †

• Socrates Cherni †		 Unknown
Strength
Unknown ~ 20 men[1]
Casualties and losses

6 dead[2]

4 injured [3]		 3[4]
Battle of Sidi Ali Ben Aoun is located in Tunisia
Battle of Sidi Ali Ben Aoun
Location within Tunisia

The Battle of Sidi Ali Ben Aoun was a conflict that took place in Tunisia on 23 October 2013, between the Tunisian National Guard and jihadists from Ansar al-Sharia during the Jihadist insurgency in Tunisia.

Procedure

On October 23, 2013, men of the Tunisian National Guard reach a house in the small town of Sidi Ali Ben Aoun where people suspected of being jihadists have been reported. The officers were about to search the building when armed men open fire on them.[5] Estimated at twenty men divided into two groups hidden in trenches dug around and near the house, the jihadists engage in the shooting when the gendarmes receive reinforcements. Three jihadists were killed during the engagement.[6]

Media and investigation

After the confrontation, the police discovered a car bomb being constructed, as well as weapons and explosives. Mohamed Ali Aroui, spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, said: “We seized weapons, explosives, two explosive belts and a car bomb containing three cylinders ready to explode”. TNT and ammonium nitrate were also discovered according to the spokesperson, who also stated that a suspect was on the run.[7]

The day after, the building where the encounter took place was destroyed along with the car bombs. A corpse with an explosive belt is then discovered as well.[8] On the 25th, the security forces discovered numerous weapons concealed in a well near the house, fifteen people suspected of being linked with the jihadists were also arrested.[9]

There are six police officers killed, four injured and an armed man killed according to the spokesman. The bodies of the six national guards are buried the next day[10] and were identified as: Imed Hizi, head of the anti-terrorism unit, First Lieutenant Socrate Cherni (brother of Majdouline Cherni[11]), First Corporals Mohamed Marzouki and Anis Salhi, Corporals Ridha Nasri and Tahar Chebbi.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Les affrontements de Sidi Ali Ben Aoun: retour sur les détails :: MOSAIQUE FM". January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Tunisie : plusieurs gendarmes tués dans des affrontements près de Sidi Bouzid – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  3. ^ "Tunisie : plusieurs gendarmes tués dans des affrontements près de Sidi Bouzid – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  4. ^ "Les affrontements de Sidi Ali Ben Aoun: retour sur les détails :: MOSAIQUE FM". January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  5. ^ "Tunisia: several gendarmes killed in clashes near Sidi Bouzid". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "Les affrontements de Sidi Ali Ben Aoun: retour sur les détails :: MOSAIQUE FM". January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  7. ^ à 14h39, Par Le 24 octobre 2013 (October 24, 2013). "Tunisie : funérailles des six gendarmes sous haute tension". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Le refuge des terroristes à Sidi Ali Ben Oune détruit :: MOSAIQUE FM". February 20, 2014. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "Découverte d'armes dans un puits Sidi Ali Ben Oun :: MOSAIQUE FM". March 7, 2014. Archived from the original on March 7, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Funeral of agents killed in Sidi Ali Ben Aoun". www.businessnews.com.tn (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  11. ^ walid. "Majdouline Cherni: Mon entrée au gouvernement, "une manière de réhabiliter les familles des martyrs"". Directinfo (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  12. ^ "Décès du lieutenant martyr Sokrate Cherni : El Kef enterre son héro (photos et vidéo) | Tekiano :: TeK'n'Kult" (in French). Retrieved February 27, 2022.
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