5th Tunisian soldier dies from wounds after ambush as 13 suspects are arrested

TUNIS, Tunisia – Tunisia's defense spokesman said a fifth soldier has died from wounds suffered in an ambush Tuesday that also wounded eight people.

Brig. Gen. Belhassen Oueslati said Wednesday that 13 suspects were arrested in the mountainous region around the city of Kasserine near the Algerian border during a search.

For the past two years, the security forces have been battling the al-Qaida-linked Oqba ibn Nafaa brigade in this mountainous region, particularly around Mount Chaambi. Some 60 soldiers have died.

Tunisian forces killed one of the leaders of the group last week, an Algerian named Khaled Chaieb.

The government has blamed the group for the March 18 attack on the national museum that killed 22 people, all but one tourists.

A group linked to the rival Islamic State has claimed responsibility, however.