Gunmen stormed one of Tunisia’s largest museums killing eight people. Seven of the eight killed are believed to be foreign tourists. The gunmen have also taken an unknown number of hostages.
The museum is near Tunisia’s parliament which was evacuated.
Although most people associate the Arab Spring with Egypt, it began in Tunisia. Unlike many of its neighbors, the transition to democracy in Tunisia has been successful enough for Freedom House to give it a free ranking, the first Arab country to ever earn such a distinction.
But freedom is always fragile. Ansar al Sharia has a presence in Tunisia. The Tunisian government declared it a terrorist organization in August 2013. Meanwhile many Tunisians have signed up with ISIS. It is worth noting that Ahmed Rouissi, perhaps Tunisia’s most senior ISIS member was killed yesterday in Libya.
It isn’t clear who is responsible for today’s attack. What is clear is that Islamic terror, by whichever name, has struck again.
UPDATE: Tunisian PM Habib Essid has stated that 19 people have been killed in the attacks, 17 of them foreign tourists. The deceased tourists were German, Italian, Spanish and Polish.
UPDATE II: The death toll has risen to 22 with 50 others being injured.
