Tunisia's Defense Ministry called Tunisian reservists and retired members of the security services after police failed to restore order three weeks after the overthrow of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Security officials close to the interim government have said elements close to the former regime plotted to spread chaos in order to return to power. In recent days, Tunisia has seen the outbreak of renewed violence in different parts of the country after a brief period of stability following Ben Ali's ouster.
An official statement said that the Ministry of Defense "called non-commissioned officers and army personnel from the Naval Force and the Air Force to the regional centers for recruitment and mobilization."
At least five people have been killed in violent incidents in towns across Tunisia since Friday.
Meanwhile, the "targeted restrictive measures" the European Union (EU) Council adopted against "persons responsible for the embezzlement of Tunisian public funds" came into effect, after the list of the concerned persons was put on the EU's official publication.
Sanctions, which came into effect February 7, concern a list of 48 persons who are charged by the Tunisian authorities with embezzlement, opening bank accounts and holding financial assets in several countries as part of money laundering, including the ousted president and his wife. Adopted during a meeting of Foreign Affairs Council, held last January 31 in Brussels, these measures stipulate freezing of "all assets and economic resources belonging to persons accused of embezzlement, and natural persons, legal entities or bodies associated to them, as well as all capitals and economic resources which are in their possession, are held or controlled by these persons, entities or bodies."
