Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi also said he feared that the Tunisian revolution which overthrew president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was being exploited by "foreign interests."

Hundreds rallied in the capital Tunis on January 25 in support of the interim government formed after Ben Ali's fall, later clashing with protesters who complain that it is dominated by former members of his RCD party.

The interim government has struggled to assert itself in the face of street protests demanding more sweeping changes.

A new cabinet lineup will be announced on January 26, mainly to fill posts vacated by five resignations over the past week, Education Minister Tayeb Baccouche told Reuters. Another minister said some provincial governors would also be replaced, but the government remains dominated by former RCD members.