Photo Credit: Mohammed Al-Ostaz / Flash 90
Ismail Haniya, de facto Prime Minister in Hamas-ruled Gaza, gestures as he speaks in front of supporters of the Tunisian islamist Ennahdha Party on January 8, 2012 in Tunis.

At least 12 people are dead and an unknown number of others are wounded in an explosion that rocked the city center of Tunis during rush hour on Tuesday evening when a bus carrying presidential guards was targeted by terrorists.

The blast occurrred at a bus stop on Mohamed V Avenue, near the former headquarters of the party of former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

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Within the hour, the capital was placed under curfew within the hour, and President Beji Caid Essebsi declared a 30-day state of emergency.

No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack.

It is not yet clear whether the explosion was generated by a bomb or an explosive was fired at the bus, presidential and security sources told Reuters.

The country which launched the region-wide Arab spring more than four years ago now finds itself still fighting for stability, with Muslim extremists doing everything possible to overturn the government.

Tunisia currently has a secular government which is fighting a constant battle with attempts by radical Islamist terrorists to seize control.

At least 3,000 Tunisian nationals have abandoned their country to fight with Da’esh in Iraq and Syria, according to the BBC.

There have already been two major attacks this year. In March, 20 people died in an attack on the world-famous Bardo Museum in the city. In June, Da’esh (ISIS) carried out a massacre at the beach resort of Sousse. Dozens of foreign tourists died in the attack, including many British citizens.


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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.