At least eleven more people were killed in Tunisia on Wednesday as violent demonstrations continued countrywide, officials said on Thursday as President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has promised changes.
The Tunisian government has imposed a daily 8.00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. local time curfew for the greater Tunis metropolitan area until further notice after protests reached the capital of Tunis on Wednesday. Despite the curfew, at least two people were killed during overnight protests in Tunis.
In other areas of the country on Wednesday and Thursday, at least nine others were killed as a result of violent demonstrations. On Thursday, police fired tear gas at around 300 stone-throwing protesters in Tunis.
The unemployment protests continued after Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi announced early Wednesday the release of demonstrators arrested since the beginning of the riots, and the establishment of two inquiry commissions to investigate offenses committed during the clashes and corruption cases.
Ghannouchi also called on Wednesday on the parliament to implement measures announced by the president on Monday, which included the creation of 300,000 new jobs to ease the protests.
The country's President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, on Thursday also pledged in a televised address to lower the prices of sugar, milk and bread. Further, Ben Ali promised more press freedom and an end to the blocking of Internet websites.
Meanwhile, Ben Ali also ordered security forces to stop using their weapons against protesters. This order came a day after the United Nations Human Rights Chief urged the Tunisian government to stop the use of excessive force against demonstrators, and to start credible investigations.
Ben Ali's current term as president expires in 2014, when he will be 77, but the leader pledged during his address to uphold a law which puts an age limit of 75 years on presidential candidates. This law would prevent him from re-election.
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