The suspected militants were wearing belts of explosives and were "terrorists, strongly suspected of belonging to the Al-Qaeda network," said a Tunisian security official.
The shootout was in Rouhia, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Tunis.
The official refused to give the nationalities of the suspected militants but another security source said they were carrying Libyan passports.
A guard called the army for help after becoming suspicious about the men, the source told AFP.
When they arrived, "two Libyans started to shoot and there was an exchange of fire between the army and these two men," the source said.
A Tunisian soldier and a colonel were killed as well as "these two Libyans who had on them Libyan passports," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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