Tunisia forces killed nine Islamist militants, including a top commander, during a raid late on Saturday, the government said, hours before world leaders were due to march in Tunis in solidarity after an attack on the Bardo museum this month.
French President Francois Hollande was among those expected to attend the march, along with thousands of Tunisians, after the attack nearly two weeks ago, in which 24 people died, including 21 tourists, two militants and a Tunisian policeman.
Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid told reporters the raid in the southern Gafsa region killed nine militants from the local group Okba Ibn Nafaa, including an Algerian militant Lokman Abu Sakhr, accused of helping orchestrate Bardo.