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US 'concerned' by Tunisia turmoil, no determination if 'coup' underway

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the administration will wait for the State Department to conduct a legal analysis before determining whether the situation in Tunisia constitutes a coup.
A Tunisian protester lifts a national flag at an anti-government rally as security forces block off the road in front of the Parliament in the capital Tunis on July 25, 2021.

The Biden administration is concerned by the political turmoil in Tunisia but has not determined whether a coup occurred in the North African country, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. 

Amid violent nationwide protests, Tunisian President Kais Saied announced Sunday that he was dismissing Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and suspending parliament for 30 days. Saied’s critics, including members of the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, said his actions amount to a coup and violated the young democracy’s constitution. 

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