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Tunisia declares state of emergency following beach massacre

By Amy R. Connolly
Tunisa President Beji Caid Essebsi will address the nation Saturday after declaring a state of emergency. Pool photo by Chip Somodevilla/UPI
1 of 6 | Tunisa President Beji Caid Essebsi will address the nation Saturday after declaring a state of emergency. Pool photo by Chip Somodevilla/UPI | License Photo

TUNIS, Tunisia, July 4 (UPI) -- Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi declared a state of emergency Saturday following the Islamic State attack that killed 38 tourists at a Sousse resort.

The declaration temporarily gives the government greater authority, extends the powers of the army and police and limits the public's right to assemble. It is unclear if the declaration was made in response to a specific threat or on the recommendation of advisors in response to the June 26 attack.

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Essebsi said he will provide more details when he addresses the nation at 5 p.m. local time (noon, EDT). The last time a state of emergency was called was in 2011 during the uprising against Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

Authorities have already clamped down on security at hotels and beaches, deploying some 1,400 armed forces across the area. Security forces were highly criticized for a slow response after a gunman, identified as student Seifeddine Rezgui, opened fire on a tourist beach and in a hotel before being shot dead by police. Those dead include 30 from Britain.

The shooting marked the second blow to Tunisia's vital tourism industry in the past months. In March, a gunman killed 22 at a museum in Tunis.

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