Nine members of Tunisia’s security forces have been killed in an attack close to the border with Algeria, state news agency TAP has reported.

The report said the nine officers from the northeastern Ghardimaou region were ambushed by “terrorists” between the al-Fawja Reserve and al-Suraya area.

Since April 2014, thousands of Tunisian soldiers have been deployed to drive out groups from the Chaambi region that borders Algeria.

According to authorities, fighters took refuge in Chaambi after fleeing a French military intervention in Mali in 2013.