Tunisia forces kill six after standoff with militants

Tunisian security forces killed six people, including five women, after a standoff today with an Islamist militant group on the outskirts of Tunis two days before a parliamentary election, authorities said.

At least two militants and women and children had been holed up in the house in Oeud Ellil, west of Tunis, since yesterday after clashes in which one police officer was killed when troops surrounded the building, according to security officials.

One militant and five women were killed when troops stormed the house today, and at least one of the women had opened fire on security forces with a rifle, an interior ministry spokesman said.

Reuters