Tunisia police shoot dead at least two at Kef protest

Tunisian police have shot dead at least two people during a protest in
the north-western town of Kef.

Officers opened fire after a crowd attacked and burned a police
station, demanding the resignation of the police chief they accused of
abuse of power.

Unconfirmed reports say another two people died on the way to hospital.

The deaths came as a nationwide night-time curfew, imposed during the
unrest which ousted President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, was shortened
by two hours.

The protests are widely seen as a having inspired the current turmoil
in Egypt and demonstrations in other countries in the region.

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Kef police station on Saturday.

Witnesses told state media the situation deteriorated after the police
chief, Khaled Ghazouani, slapped a woman in the crowd.

Protesters reportedly threw stones and petrol bombs at the building.

"The police fired to prevent the protesters from breaking into the
station," Reuters news agency quoted the ministry official as saying.

Initial reports said four people had been killed, but it later emerged
that the later deaths had not been confirmed. Another 17 people were
injured in the violence.

Regional prefect Mohamed Najib Tlijali has appealed for calm, and said
Mr Ghazouani was had been arrested, the Associated Press reports.

Earlier on Saturday, two members of the security forces were arrested
in Sidi Bouzid, in connection with the death of two detainees earlier
in the week.

The town was the origin of the weeks of unrest which ousted Mr Ben Ali
in mid-January.

The UN says at least 219 people died in the unrest. The police force
has largely been blamed for the deaths.

The country has been relative calm since Mr Ali went into exile, but
small-scale protests demanding the removal of anyone linked to the
former regime have continued.

A unity government has been sworn in and Prime Minister Mohammed
Ghannouchi has promised elections within six months.

While a night-time curfew remains in place, it has now been shortened
to four hours, between midnight and 0400 local time (2300 GMT to 0300
GMT).

Earlier on Saturday, the UK's Foreign Office lifted its travel warning
for Tunisia, citing a "reduced threat".

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