1 dead as Tunisian protest turns violent

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) -- Tunisia's Interior Ministry reports that one person was killed and nine others injured when a protest in a southern town turned violent.

About 150 marched through the town of Tataouine, famous for lending its name to a planet in George Lucas' Star Wars movie series, protesting against the persistent of members of the old regime.

Tunisians overthrew their long-serving president in January 2011 but there has been persistent social unrest, often over economic issues.

The crowd stopped outside the regional Union for Agriculture and Fishing and clashed with its employees, exchanging stones and firebombs.

According to the Interior Ministry spokesman Lotfi Hidouri, the victim, Mohamed Lutfi Naguez was the head of the union and died from a heart attack.