Four people were killed at a renowned Tunisian synagogue on the island of Djerba on Tuesday night. Let’s see more about the Tunisia Synagogue Shooting in detail.
Tunisia Synagogue shooting explained:
A shooting near the oldest synagogue in Africa claimed the lives of two tourists and two security personnel on the Tunisian island of Djerba.
The attack happened during a yearly pilgrimage to the island that is attended by Jewish tourists from Europe and Israel.
According to reports, a guard killed his companion, then fired on visitors and security personnel close to the synagogue before being slain himself. His motivation was unclear.
The Ministry of the Interior released the statement about the incident that reads,
“This evening, Tuesday, May 09, 2023, a guard of the Naval Center of the National Guard in Aghir Djerba killed his colleague by using his individual weapon and seizing ammunition, then he tried to reach the vicinity of the Ghriba Temple and deliberately opened fire indiscriminately at the security units stationed in the place, which responded and prevented him from reaching the temple and killed him.”
“The operation resulted in the injury of 06 security agents with injuries of varying severity, one of whom was martyred, and 02 visitors died, and 04 other people were injured of varying severity, and they were taken to the hospital for treatment.”
“The Ministry of the Interior confirms that the temple has been cordoned off and in its possession, and all those inside and outside the temple have.”
Who is the suspect?
The suspect was the police officer/ guard of the Naval Center of the National Guard. He opened fire with his firearm at the naval installation on Djerba before moving towards the Ghriba synagogue and seizing his ammunition.
The assailant opened fire randomly at security posts close to the synagogue, killing two visitors and one security guard while injuring five guards and four other people.
He was then killed by security personnel, according to the Interior Ministry. One of the tourists slain was French and one was Tunisian, according to the foreign ministry of Tunisia. However, the ministry did not reveal the names of the suspect and the victims.
Five members of the security forces and four more visitors all sustained injuries.
Why did he kill the visitors?
The motive behind the attack was not known yet. But, the Islamist extremists have previously targeted the Djerba pilgrimage and also carried out other attacks in the country.
The officials have now initiated an investigation to find out the motive behind the attack. It’s unclear if the visitors to the Ghriba synagogue were pilgrims.
Visitors were seen fleeing after gunshots were heard in an online video that has not been independently authenticated.
Shooting at the Elgariba Synagogue on Djerba Island in Tunisia, no casualties reported thus far
Footage of the the scene pic.twitter.com/atzY8rqAoX
— Adam Albilya – אדם אלביליה (@AdamAlbilya) May 9, 2023
Tunisia was once a popular tourist destination and the starting point of the Arab Spring pro-democracy movements, and it is now experiencing a political and economic catastrophe.
The largest Jewish population in Tunisia is located on the scenic island of Djerba, which sits off the country’s southern coast.
Jews from all over the world gather in Djerba every year for the Hilula of Ghriba, a celebration that includes a festive parade on or around Lag B’Omer.
The El Ghriba synagogue, which is supposed to have been founded by Jews fleeing persecution some 2,500 years ago, is where the march usually concludes.
According to the Berkley Centre at Georgetown University, the current structure was built in the 19th century. It is occasionally regarded as the oldest synagogue in Africa.
“The Ministry of the Interior confirms that the temple has been cordoned off and…all those inside and outside the temple have been secured, and research is continuing to find out the reasons for this treacherous and cowardly attack.”
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