Tunisian army declares protest area 'closed military zone'

TUNIS The Tunisian army used barbed wire to shut down a main square being used by pro- and anti-government protesters in the capital on Monday, declaring it "a closed military zone".

Protesters on both sides vowed to return, opposition media said, adding that anti-government protesters had already started regrouping near the square.

Tensions have been running high in Tunisia, with rival protests growing increasingly violent amid opposition calls to dissolve the Islamist-led government.

(Reporting by Tarek Amara and Erika Solomon; Editing by Jon Boyle)