(New York, NY) – Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is struggling to contain violent extremist groups that threaten what has been a peaceful transition to democratically elected government. 

The Counter Extremism Project’s (CEP) new resource details the history, tactics and violent timeline of the powerful local Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia (AST). 

AST was founded in 2011 by former prison inmate Seifallah Ben Hassine, a.k.a. Abu Iyad al-Tunisi. Many of AST’s members, like al-Tunisi, were freed from prison under a general amnesty decree following the popular revolt that ended authoritarian rule in Tunisia.

AST has instigated a number of violent protests, including the September 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Tunis. AST militants also assassinated secular Tunisian politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi during a five month period in 2013.   

While AST shares the name “Ansar al-Sharia” (Supporters of Islamic Law) with like-minded groups in Libya, Yemen, and elsewhere, each organization operates independently.

AST maintains close ties with al-Qaeda (AQ), AQ affiliate al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar al-Sharia in Libya (ASL), and ISIS. AST has been designated a terrorist group by the United States, the United Nations, and Tunisia, among others.

AST complements its goal of establishing an Islamist state in Tunisia by encouraging young Tunisians to go fight alongside jihadists in other countries. Reportedly, more than 3,000 young men have left Tunisia to train and fight with ISIS in Iraq and Syria.  In July 2014, AST spokesman Seifeddine Rais declared his loyalty to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Explore the history, ideology and leadership of AST and other extremist groups at counterextremism.com.

For requests for interviews, please contact CEP at [email protected].