Mehdi Jomaa

Both leading candidates in Tunisia's first free presidential election since the 2011 revolution sparked the Arab Spring predicted a runoff as each claimed to be ahead after Sunday's vote.

The election is a milestone in the North African country where a popular uprising set off a chain of revolts that saw several Arab dictators toppled by citizens demanding democratic reform.

Tunisia has closed a satellite television channel and a radio station for promoting jihad, a few days after jihadists killed 15 soldiers, the government said on July 20.

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa said the authorities had decided to shut down Nour FM radio and Al-Insen satellite channel.

A Tunisian diplomat and an embassy worker kidnapped earlier this year by unknown gunmen in Libya arrived at dawn on Monday at a Tunis airport after being freed on June 29.