When they received the French ultimatum, the Tunisian Government was caught off guard.
First, there was the conflict between two large native tribes on the Tunisian border, which the Tunisian government hadn't even heard about yet, so how did the French Government know?
Furthermore, Europeans in Africa are undoubtedly first-class citizens, and even large native nations like Morocco and Egypt don't dare provoke Europeans, let alone the Tunisians.
Isn't it only Africans being killed by Europeans in this era? How did the French even get killed by the Tunisians?
Although the Tunisian Government had many questions, it was clear that the French Government wouldn't give them enough time to figure out the details.
The French Government only gave 24 hours, and what can be done in 24 hours? Not even enough time to notify Tunisia's nominal suzerain, the Ottoman Empire.
