A former Tunisian prime minister is among the 18 people who were injured in a deadly fire at the headquarters of the moderate Islamist Ennahdha party in Tunis on Thursday.

Ali Laaryadh, who is also Ennahdha's vice president and was prime minister from 2013 to 2014, was taken to the hospital after he suffered leg fractures when he jumped from the second floor of the building to escape the flames.

Cause of the fire not immediately clear

It is not yet clear what caused the blaze that claimed the life of party activist, Sami Sifi,

In a statement Ennahdha thanked the "firefighters who intervened quickly to put out the fire and rescue those present at the headquarters.

Another prominent party official Abdel Karim Harouni was also injured in the blaze.

The Interior Ministry launched a judicial inquiry into the incident.

 

Tunisia's parliament still suspended

Ennahdha held the most seats in the Tunisian parliament before President Kais Saied suspended it in July. He is now ruling by decree.

Ennahdha warned three days ago it was facing an orchestrated "defamation" campaign aimed at shutting it out of national politics.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story stated unambiguously that the deceased man had set himself on fire. In fact, Tunisian media had reported this citing judiciary sources. The Ennahdha party said that the cause of the fire was "not yet known." DW apologizes for the inaccuracy.

lo/msh (AFP, Reuters)