The attack on the National Bardo Museum prompted the evacuation of Tunisia's parliament building, which is adjacent to the museum.
Private radio station Radio Mosaique said that three men dressed in military-style clothing may have taken hostages inside the museum.
Interior Ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui said on Radio Mosaique that one of the dead was a Tunisian. He didn't provide nationalities for the other victims.
The museum is a leading tourist attraction that chronicles Tunisia's history and houses one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics.
It is unclear who the attackers are. Tunisia has struggled with violence by Islamic extremists in recent years, including some linked to the Islamic State group.
Tunisia recently completed a rocky road to democracy after overthrowing its authoritarian president in 2011. It has been more stable than other countries in the region, but it has struggled with violence by Islamic extremists in recent years, including some linked to IS. It also has extremists linked to al-Qaida's North Africa arm who occasionally target Tunisian security forces.
A disproportionately large number of Tunisia recruits have joined IS fighters in Syria and Iraq.
China Daily - china.org.cn
18/3/15
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Tunisia: militants kill 19 in museum attack...
ReplyDeleteGunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles attacked the Tunisian capital’s famed Bardo Museum and the parliament compound on Wednesday, killing 19 - including 17 tourists, Prime Minister Habib Essid said on Wednesday.
A policeman, a Tunisian citizen, and Polish, Italian, German, Spanish tourists were among the dead in the Tunis attack, Essid added.
Earlier, interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui told Mosaique FM radio that “a terrorist attack (has hit) the Bardo Museum.” ...........http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2015/03/18/Exchange-of-gunfire-at-Tunisia-s-parliament-media.html
18/3/15
17 tourists among 19 dead in Tunisia attack...
ReplyDeleteGunmen opened fire on tourists getting off buses outside Tunisia's national museum today, killing at least 19 people and taking a number of people hostage.
Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said 17 foreign tourists, including Polish, Italian, German and Spanish citizens, are among the dead.
A Tunisian citizen and a policeman also died in the attack, Mr Essid said.
Security forces stormed the Bardo museum in central Tunis around two hours after the attack began and killed two militants, freeing all the captives, a government spokesman said.
One policeman was killed in the rescue operation.
Polish and Italian tourists were also among the wounded, officials added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said there is no indication that any Irish people were caught up in the attack. It has updated its travel advice for Tunisia..........http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0318/687894-tunisia-attack/
18/3/15
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini blamed ISIS Wednesday for an attack on tourists in Tunisia that killed 19 people, including 17 foreign tourists...
ReplyDelete"With the attack that has struck Tunis today, the Daesh terrorist organisation is once again targeting the countries and peoples of the Mediterranean region," she said in a statement, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.
"This strengthens our determination to cooperate more closely with our partners to confront the terrorist threat," she said. "The EU is determined to mobilize all the tools it has to fully support Tunisia in the fight against terrorism and reforming the security sector."
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Mar-18/291268-eu-blames-isis-for-tunisia-attack.ashx
18/3/15
ISIS claims responsibility for Tunisia museum attack...
ReplyDeleteThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Thursday claimed responsibility for the bloody attack that left 23 people killed at Bardo museum in the capital Tunis on Wednesday, reported AFP.
In an audio message posted online, ISIS said “two knights from the Islamic State [ISIS]... heavily armed with automatic weapons and grenades, targeted the Bardo Museum.”
It threatened more attacks, saying: “What you have seen is only the start.”
Earlier on Thursday, Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid had said one of the two gunmen in the attack were known to intelligence services, the Associated Press reported.................http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/03/19/Tunisia-PM-Intelligence-flagged-gunman-ahead-of-attack.html
19/3/15