The mass shooting on Tuesday sparked panic during an annual Jewish pilgrimage at the historic Ghriba synagogue on the resort island of Djerba.
“I never believed that I would experience such terror,” recounted one survivor, Raoudha Seibi.
The attack was “a real nightmare”, said a tearful Seibi, a member of the Tunisian Association for the Support of Minorities. “I am still in shock.”
Authorities were investigating the motive of the gunman, who was shot dead after killing three police officers and two visitors, a French-Tunisian and an Israeli-Tunisian man.
At a national security council meeting on Wednesday Saied denounced the “criminal and cowardly” attack, according to a video issued by his office.
“I want to reassure the Tunisian people and the whole world that Tunisia will remain safe despite this type of attempt intended to disturb its stability.”
Saied said the attack aimed to “sow discord, sabotage the tourist season and attack the state”.
Tuesday’s rampage came as the tourism industry, vital in a heavily indebted, troubled economy, had finally rebounded from pandemic-era lows, as well as from attacks in 2015.
Read the article in The Australian (AFP).