Two killed in Tunisia riots

Two young people were killed and 20 injured in the southern Tunisian town of Metlaoui in a riot over the recruitment policy of a phosphate company, the interior ministry said.

Two young people were killed and 20 injured in the southern Tunisian town of Metlaoui in a riot over the recruitment policy of a phosphate company, the interior ministry said.

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The riot broke out after an "untruthful" memo outlining tribal quotas for new hires was circulated, the ministry said in a statement.

The army was called in to help break up a demonstration by a crowd of more than 1,000 protesters, who were armed with hunting rifles, stones and Molotov cocktails, the statement said.

The two victims were killed by shots fired from hunting rifles, the authorities said. A soldier was among the injured.