Troops to guard Tunisian cities as first arrests made after deadly attack
President says nine people are detained following siege at Bardo national museum in which gunmen shot 23 dead
Tunisian troops are to be deployed to major cities after gunmen killed 20 foreign tourists and three Tunisians on Wednesday.
“After a meeting with the armed forces, the president has decided large cities will be secured by the army,” his office said in a statement, which also announced the first arrests in connection with the attack in the capital, Tunis.
“Security forces were able to arrest four people directly linked to the [terrorist] operation and five suspected of having ties to the cell,” the president’s office said.
Reuters reported on Thursday afternoon that Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack in an online audio recording.
The terrorist attack shocked the country and delivered a blow to Tunisia’s vital tourist industry. Two militants opened fire on two tourist buses during a visit to the museum inside the heavily guarded parliament compound. The gunmen were shot dead by security forces.
In an interview with France’s RTL radio on Thursday morning, the prime minister, Habib Essid, said Tunisia was working with other countries to learn more about the attackers, identified as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui. He said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence, although not for “anything special”.
Two of the people arrested on Thursday in Sbiba City were the father and sister of Khachnaoui, a security source told Reuters.
On Wednesday evening, the newly elected president, Beji Caid Essebsi, gave an address to the nation in which he said: “I want the people of Tunisia to understand firstly and lastly that we are in a war with terror, and these savage minority groups will not frighten us.
“The fight against them will continue until they are exterminated.”
“After a meeting with the armed forces, the president has decided large cities will be secured by the army,” his office said in a statement, which also announced the first arrests in connection with the attack in the capital, Tunis.
“Security forces were able to arrest four people directly linked to the [terrorist] operation and five suspected of having ties to the cell,” the president’s office said.
Reuters reported on Thursday afternoon that Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the attack in an online audio recording.
The terrorist attack shocked the country and delivered a blow to Tunisia’s vital tourist industry. Two militants opened fire on two tourist buses during a visit to the museum inside the heavily guarded parliament compound. The gunmen were shot dead by security forces.
In an interview with France’s RTL radio on Thursday morning, the prime minister, Habib Essid, said Tunisia was working with other countries to learn more about the attackers, identified as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui. He said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence, although not for “anything special”.
Two of the people arrested on Thursday in Sbiba City were the father and sister of Khachnaoui, a security source told Reuters.
On Wednesday evening, the newly elected president, Beji Caid Essebsi, gave an address to the nation in which he said: “I want the people of Tunisia to understand firstly and lastly that we are in a war with terror, and these savage minority groups will not frighten us.
“The fight against them will continue until they are exterminated.”
