Gunmen face ultimatum in deadly Tunisia house siege

Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian authorities warned Friday that they would storm a house where women and children are caught up in a deadly standoff unless the gunmen inside surrender within hours.

"We cannot wait any longer. We will give them an ultimatum of one or two hours maximum, then we will lead the assault," interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui told reporters.

At least two armed men wanted by the security forces have been holed up in the home in the town of Oued Ellil, a suburb of Tunis, since Thursday.

At least two women and two children are inside, Aroui said.

The confrontation came as security was tightened in the lead-up to parliamentary elections on Sunday -- the first since the nation's revolution three years ago.

The authorities have described the gunmen as "terrorists" but gave no indication as to their identities.

One policeman was killed on Thursday in a firefight with the suspects and another was wounded.

An explosion was heard in the area at around dawn on Friday but the origin was unknown, an AFP correspondent at the scene reported.

Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said that the number of women inside the house could be "four to six".

"But we do not have confirmation yet," he told AFP.

Officials say they plan to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers and police for Sunday's election, warning that "terrorist" elements are seeking to disrupt the vote.

Parties were wrapping up campaigning on Friday for what is seen as a highlight of a transition that has been tested by militant attacks and social unrest in the impoverished North African nation.

Islamists suppressed under former strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali have proliferated since his overthrow in the 2011 uprising.

Militants have been blamed for a wave of attacks, including last year's assassination of two leftist politicians whose murders plunged the country into a protracted political crisis.