Tunisia clashes after two police-linked deaths, reports say

Clashes between protesters and police erupted in two Tunisian towns after the deaths of two young men in incidents that local media and residents linked to security forces, media reported Friday.

In Ettadhamen, a suburb of Tunis, protesters burned tyres and blocked roads overnight after a young man died the previous day, according to reports. Media said security forces used tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Mosaique FM reported, citing the man's father, that police officers beat him during his arrest. The same radio station cited a police source as saying the man swallowed drugs during a raid, leading to his death.

In Jebeniana, in the Sfax region about 250 kilometres south of Tunis, confrontations also broke out after a young man died in a police chase, local media reported.

Videos that AFP could not verify showed protesters blocking roads after setting tyres on fire and clashing with police in the central Tunisian city. It was unclear whether the clashes in either town caused casualties or led to arrests.