Four people shot dead in Tunisia synagogue attack
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Loading... - Sarah Kwaka
- 10 May 2023
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The Ghriba synagogue located on Djerba island was the scene of a tragic incident where nine people were shot, two of whom lost their lives. The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a 30-year-old Tunisian and a 42-year-old French national were the two victims, although their identities were not disclosed. The attacker killed one of his colleagues to seize his ammunition before heading to the synagogue, which was packed with hundreds of people participating in the annual pilgrimage. This sacred place is considered to be Africa's oldest synagogue and was the target of a suicide truck bombing in 2002.
The Tunisian Ministry of Interior has reported that investigations are underway to determine the reason for this "cowardly aggression." However, the statement refrained from labeling the incident as a terrorist attack. The U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the Tunisian people while appreciating the swift action taken by the security forces.
The French Embassy in Tunisia established a crisis unit and an emergency hotline in response to the attack. The sound of gunshots during the event created chaos and confusion among the worshippers present at the synagogue. More than 5,000 Jewish devotees, mainly from foreign countries, attended this year's pilgrimage to Ghriba, which resumed in 2022 after a two-year suspension due to the pandemic.
The tragic incident occurred at a time when Tunisia's tourism industry was finally experiencing a resurgence after years of pandemic-induced lows and the aftermath of attacks in Tunis and Sousse that killed dozens of foreign visitors in 2015.
The Ghriba attack also comes as Tunisia goes through a severe financial crisis that has worsened since President Kais Saied seized power in July 2021 and rammed through a constitution that gave his office unlimited powers and neutered parliament.
