Tunisia's Interior Ministry says large quantities of weapons and explosives have been seized in a town near the capital Tunis.

Dozens of Kalashnikov assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, explosives and ammunition were seized in Mnihla around 15 kilometers (10 miles) outside the capital late Wednesday night.

Thursday's statement said the operation was carried out by the national guard backed by a commando unit.

Last month another weapons cache was found in the southern city of Medenine, near the Libyan border.

Tunisia has not been exposed to the widespread militant violence found in neighboring Algeria and Libya, but there have been some incidents.

Police also announced the arrest of 13 suspects in the low-income Douar Hicher neighborhood of Tunis, the site of clashes between police and ultraconservative Muslims known as Salafis.