Tunisian soldiers fired in the air and lobbed tear gas at citizens in a small mining town to break up clashes between rival groups.

The cause of Wednesday's clashes in the southern town of Gafsa is unclear. The fighting injured at least five people.

The southern town has seen unrest several times since the uprising that forced out former Tunisian leader Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

The unrest sparked what is known as the Arab Spring, which led to citizens calling for reforms in Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen Jordan and Libya.