Tunisia’s top parties yesterday condemned a weekend spate of violent incidents and reiterated their commitment to October polls amid growing concern the revolution’s gains were being rolled back.

“We condemn violence wherever it comes from, be it from demonstrators or from the security forces,” Rached Ghannouchi, chairman of the main Islamist movement Ennahda, said at a press conference.

“Our first message is to reassure the Tunisian people: everything that happened does not jeopardise the revolution and elections will take place as planned on October 23,” he said.

Ennahda supporters were among those accused of being behind a series of weekend attacks against police stations and protests against the government that left a teenage boy dead.

Mr Ghannouchi took umbrage at comments made on Monday by Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, who saw the latest string of incidents as an attempt by “some parties” to destabilise the country and derail the elections.

“These accusations against forces he did not name were interpreted as being directed at Ennahda,” the Islamist leader said.

Mr Ghannouchi stressed that his movement was supportive of the security forces and insisted Ennahda never organised any protests.

A wave of protests by young Tunisians demanding more freedom and jobs led to the shock January ouster of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the country for more than two decades with an iron fist.

The revolt tipped the first domino of the Arab spring that is still raging across the region but demonstrations also continued in Tunisia, where many have complained over the pace and depth of reform.