Tunisian forces are exchanging fire near the presidential palace with members of deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s guard, reports say.

Witnesses reported heavy gunfire in Carthage, north of the capital Tunis, where the palace is located.

It comes after the ex-head of presidential security, Ali Seriati, was arrested and accused of threatening state security by fomenting violence.

Meanwhile, political leaders are holding talks about a new government.

Interim leader Foued Mebazaa, who until Saturday was the speaker of parliament, has asked Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi to form a government of national unity.

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Juba- Minister of Information, Dr. Barnaba Benjamin Marial confirmed that four Gatluak Gai militias were killed and 26 captured by Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in Unity state on Saturday as vote for southern Sudan independence opened across the region.

In a press statement at the late Dr. John Garang’s Mausoleum, the minister said the militia group aimed to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the voting.

He said that the government of Southern Sudan will not tolerate such behavior during this referendum exercise.

“If you are citizen or non citizen with an aim of disrupting this exercise, you should be informed earlier that once you were caught there will be no other solutions but to bring you to justice”.

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South Sudan army signed a permanent ceasefire agreement with insurgents loyal to General George Athor who rebelled following allegations of fraud and rigging during gubernatorial elections in Jonglei last April.

The renegade general accused recently tow senior Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) leaders from his region of hindering efforts to reconcile with Juba and end his rebellion before a referendum on independence the semi autonomous region will hold within four days.

The end of violence in the largest southern Sudan state will allow a peaceful referendum. The General who is accused of being supported by Khartoum repeated several times to Sudan Tribune he was supportive the historical vote.

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On December 31 2010 a bomb killed at least 21 people outside a church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria early on New Year’s Day and the Interior Ministry said a foreign-backed suicide bomber may have been responsible.

Dozens of people were wounded by the blast, which scattered body parts, destroyed cars and smashed windows. The attack prompted Christians to protest on the streets, and some Christians and Muslims hurled stones at each other.

Egypt has stepped up security around churches, banning cars from parking outside them, since an al Qaeda-linked group in Iraq issued a threat against the Church in Egypt in November.

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At least one Somali soldier and another civilian injured after the transitional federal government forces clashed with Ethiopian military troops in Hiran region of central Somalia, reports said on Thursday.

The confrontation, which lasted a limited amount of time, sparked after Ethiopian forces took a Somali soldier into custody in Jawil district just out side of Belet-weyne town, the regional capital of Hiran.

Somali forces in the area had been outraged by the Ethiopian move and in response Somalis attacked Ethiopians in the region.

Reports from Jawil district, right now, confirm clam has returned in that place as guns fell silent.

The clash is said to be a clear sign that Ethiopian forces, which had already crossed into Somalia, are present inside Somalia soil.

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Suspected members of Boko Haram are behind the killing of three more people at a hospital in Maiduguri, police said on Wednesday.

The three victims, including a senior police officer, were killed Tuesday evening when some armed men fired shots into a teaching hospital in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. “An investigation has already commenced but I can tell you that we believe the killings must have been carried out by the Boko Haram since it was their mode of operations,” the Borno State police public relations officer said.

Boko Haram said on its website on Tuesday it was behind the Christmas Eve bombings in Jos.

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The UN has accused Ivory Coast state media - controlled by strongman Laurent Gbagbo - of inciting hatred against foreign peacekeepers.

UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy said state TV channel RTI was pumping out lies, and blamed it for a machete attack on UN personnel on Tuesday.

Mr Gbagbo has so far resisted UN calls to step down as president and make way for his rival Alassane Ouattara.

Regional leaders are holdings talks aimed at breaking the impasse.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk … orld-africa-12091043