“It has been very unnerving”, says Francis, a resident of Tunis
Anti-government protests in Tunis
New protests have broken out on the streets of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, hours before the expected announcement of a new national unity government.
Police used water cannon to disperse several hundred demonstrators calling for the party of ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to relinquish power.
The country has been in a state of emergency since he fled on Friday.
Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has said an agreement between the political parties would be unveiled later.
Monday’s protesters shouted slogans against Mr Ben Ali’s Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), says the BBC’s Lyse Doucet in Tunis, as they made it clear they wanted the ruling party to have no place in the new government.
The atmosphere was mixed with the sound of gunfire ringing out during occasional skirmishes interspersed with scenes of celebration and a rendition of the national anthem.
Mr Ghannouchi – who was also prime minister during Mr Ben Ali’s rule – has pledged rapid action to fill the power vacuum, after being asked to form a government by interim President Foued Mebazaa, the former speaker of the parliament.
Sources close to the negotiations with opposition parties are quoted as saying some portfolios have already been agreed.
After a night of fighting between troops and gunmen loyal to Mr Ben Ali, tanks were patrolling in the capital and other cities in an attempt to restore order on Monday.
Days of violence have cut off supplies to shops and petrol stations, causing shortages. Correspondents say many people just want life to get back to normal and are keen for details of the unity government to be announced.
Mr Ben Ali, who had been in power for 23 years, fled to Saudi Arabia on Friday after a month of mounting protests across the country over unemployment, food price rises and corruption.
Demonstrations gained momentum in December after a 26-year-old unemployed man, Mohamed Bouazizi, died having set himself on fire in protest against a lack of jobs in the country.
Amid concerns the protests may spread across the region, a man set himself on fire outside the Egyptian parliament buildings in Cairo on Monday. His motivation was not immediately clear.
There have also been several such incidents in Algeria which, like Egypt and Tunisia, has high unemployment and has been facing political unrest.
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