A conservative cleric, wanted over violent protests at the US embassy in Tunisia, has managed to escape from a police cordon.

Abu Ayadh has been blamed for encouraging last week's riot outside the compound in Tunis, which was in reaction to the anti-Islam video.

He took refuge in one of the city's main mosques, which was surrounded by hundreds of his followers.

Ayadh is part of an ultra-conservative Muslim group known as Salafists, whose influence has been growing in post-revolution Tunisia.

Nazanine Moshiri reports from Tunis.