Tunisian forces kill six after stand-off with militants

Tunisian security forces Friday killed six people, including five women, in a raid on a house in a suburb west of the capital Tunis after a stand-off with Islamist militants that led to the death of a national guard officer Thursday, a security source said.

The raid came after negotiations with the militants failed to persuade them to leave the house in Oued Ellil, said Mohamed Ali Aroui, spokesperson for the country' interior ministry.

The militants had women and children with them, and kept weapons and explosives inside the house, the spokesman said, adding that they were given a 24 hour-ultimatum to surrender since Thursday but they did not, Xinhua reported.

Two other militants were arrested in the raid which left a woman and a child injured. Also, a Tunisian officer was wounded.

The women and children who were inside the house were the families of the militants and not hostages, according to Aroui.

On Thursday, security forces arrested three suspects in Kebilli in southern Tunisia, who were about to carry out a terrorist attack on a tourist site in the city.

"Any terrorist attacks during this crucial and sensitive period aim at impeding the electoral and democratic path. These terrorists are targeting the elections and the stability of the country," stated Aroui. "But we succeeded in stopping them," he added.

Parliamentary elections in Tunisia are scheduled for Sunday.