Tunisia on Friday declared a nighttime curfew across the country, as Prime Minister Habib Essid said that protests across the north African country in recent days had been "brought under control".
Tunisia on Friday declared a nighttime curfew across the country, as Prime Minister Habib Essid said that protests across the north African country in recent days had been "brought under control".
The interior ministry said the 8pm to 5am curfew was necessary to prevent damage to property and to ensure public safety.
"Anyone disobeying this decision risks prosecution, apart from medical emergencies and those working at night," it said in a statement.
Authorities called for calm after 16 people were arrested on vandalism charges in a suburb of Tunis, the latest incident in almost a week of unrest. 
Meanwhile, Essid cut short a European tour over the most serious outbreak of social unrest since the 2011 revolution.
"The situation is calm... and has been brought under control," Essid said after a meeting with French President Francois Hollande in Paris.
Five years after the overthrow of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, protests against unemployment and poverty are again shaking the North African nation.
The protests over unemployment and poverty erupted on Saturday after an unemployed young man was electrocuted when he climbed an electricity pole during demonstrations in central Tunisia.
Authorities called for calm after 16 people were arrested on vandalism charges in a suburb of Tunis, the latest incident in almost a week of unrest.
National Guard units clashed with individuals in balaclavas until early Friday morning, an official said.
In central Tunisia, security forces have clashed with protesters in several towns, including in Kasserine where the unrest started, using tear gas against them.
At least three police stations have been attacked over the past 24 hours and 42 members of the security forces have been wounded, the interior ministry said.
The unrest has echoes of the public anger unleashed by the death of a street vendor who set himself on fire in December 2010 in protest at unemployment and police harassment.
