Tunisian special forces fought a gun battle with the ousted president's security force near the presidential palace on Sunday, a military source said, two days after Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted after more than 23 years as president.

But Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi promised rapid action to fill the power vacuum.

"Tomorrow we will announce the new government which will open a new page in the history of Tunisia," he said in a brief statement on January 16.

.Three opposition leaders would take posts in the new coalition. But the interior and foreign ministers in the old administration will keep their jobs.

While die-hard Ben Ali loyalists fought the army at the presidential palace, elsewhere two gunmen stationed on a rooftop near the central bank were killed by fire from a helicopter.

Tanks were stationed around the capital, Tunis, and soldiers guarded public buildings.