Arrests and tear gas during prices protests

(11 Jan 2018) LEADIN:
Tunisians are taking to the streets to protest rising prices and inflation.
Police and military use tear gas to disperse the crowds in the town of Kasserine.
STORYLINE:
Protesters flee as tear gas is fired by riot police from the other end of the street.
These clashes between protesters and police continue into the night.
This is the town of Kasserine, in the west of Tunisia.
Like much of the country, people have taken to the streets to protest price hikes.
According to Tunisian media reports, banks, stores and police stations were targets of vandalism and looting.
They also say roads have been blocked by blazing tyres and protesters hurling petrol bombs at police.
Tunisia's prime minister has promised to crack down on rioters after the protests left one person dead.
There are fears of broader unrest in the country that was the birthplace of the Arab Spring.
A 45-year-old protester died during the unrest that broke out in multiple regions earlier this week.
Dozens of people were arrested and several police officers were injured.
The turbulence recalls the 2010-2011 protest movement that led to the ousting of authoritarian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
It also sparked uprisings across the Arab world.
Tunisia's economy has struggled ever since.
The current protests are being driven by economic considerations related to the national budget.
The Tunisian government is raising fuel prices and taxes on many products and services to reduce the country's annual deficit.

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