Tunisian authorities have opened an investigation into a shooting attack at the historic El Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba that left five people dead, including one Frenchman. France has called out antisemitism, while Tunisia's President sought to reassure people that his country was still safe.
The gunman, a member of the National Guard affiliated with the naval centre in the island's port of Aghir, killed two Jewish pilgrims and three security officers on Tuesday before being killed himself.
Investigators are working to determine his motive. It is still unknown if he specifically targeted Jewish people.
At a national security council meeting on Wednesday Tunisian President Kais Saied denounced the "criminal and cowardly" attack.
He made no reference to the shooter's targeting of the Jewish community and did not call the shooting terrorism, a term he has sometimes used to describe the work of his political opponents.
Deadly rampage
The gunman first killed a colleague with his service weapon, before seizing ammunition and heading toward the Ghriba synagogue, the Tunisian Interior ministry said.
More than 5,000 people, mostly from overseas, had traveled to attend an annual pilgrimage to to the synagogue, which is thought to be one of the world’s oldest Jewish temples, dating back to 586BC.
The gunman opened fire on security units stationed at the synagogue , and guards fired back, killing him before he reached the entrance.
He killed two pilgrims and one guard. Another guard died of his injuries on Wednesday. Four civilians were also wounded and four other members of the security forces remain in hospital, one in critical condition.
The two civilians have been identified as cousins Aviel Hadded, 30, a dual Tunisian and Israeli citizen, and Benjamin Haddad, 42, who was French and active in the Jewish community in Marseille, where he ran a kosher bakery.
France denounces antisemitism
The French Foreign Ministry expressed its “deep sadness” at the attack. In a statement, the ministry said it "stands by Tunisia to continue the fight against antisemitism and all forms of fanaticism.”
French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to keep up the fight "against antisemitic hatred".
Saied said the goal of the attack was "to sow the seeds of discord and to hit the tourist season and the state".
"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," he added
Tunisia’s economy depends on tourism, which took a hit when it was targeted with attacks in 2015 claimed by the Islamic State armed group – an attack at the Mediterranean resort of Sousse that killed 38 people; an attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis; and an attack on a bus carrying presidential guards.
Tourists had just started returning when the Covid pandemic started in 2019, and the country is now facing a deep economic crisis, with an exodus of citizens to Europe.
The Ghriba pilgrimage has had tight security since a truck bomb killed 21 people during the pilgrimage in 2002, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaaida.
The annual pilgrimage only resumed in 2022 after it was suspended for two years because of the Covid pandemic.
(with wires)
