Islamist fighters attacked army and police posts in the Tunisian town of Ben Guerdan near the border with Libya early on Monday, in clashes that killed at least ten militants, five civilians and one soldier, officials said.
The interior ministry warned people to stay in their homes as gunfire erupted in the centre of town.
An army spokesman said soldiers had killed ten militants after they attacked military and police posts. Hospital sources said at least five civilians had also died.
Tunisia has built a trench along its border, worried about spillover from Libya where Islamic State is expanding, and Western military advisers are training Tunisian border forces.
Islamist militants trained in jihadist camps across the border in Libya carried out several attacks on Tunisia last year, including the attacks on the Tunis Bardo museum and a Sousse beach hotel targetting foreign tourists.
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