Tunisian vendor dies from self immolation injuries

TUNIS // A cigarette vendor who suffered severe burns yesterday after immolating himself in an act of desperation on a Tunis street has died from his injuries.

Adel Khadri, 27, hailed from an extremely poor family in Jendouba in northwestern Tunisia, officials said. He arrived in the capital a few months ago to look for work.

Passers-by rushed to douse the flames but not before Khadri had suffered serious burn wounds. He was still conscious when he was rushed to the Ben Arous hospital by emergency services where he died.

Officials said Mr Khadri, who eked out a living peddling cigarettes in the streets of Tunis, was a broken man.

The number of people committing suicide or attempting to take their own lives has multiplied in Tunisia since a young street vendor set himself on fire on December 17, 2010, in a drastic act of protest against police harassment which was a trigger for the Arab Spring.

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