As per to the country’s interior ministry and the Tunisian national news agency TAP, at least five persons were killed in a gunshot attack close to a synagogue on Wednesday.
Three security officials were murdered in the incident in Djerba, one of them passed away in the hospital after suffering a major injury, the ministry stated, according to TAP.
According to a statement released by the Tunisian foreign ministry on Wednesday, the shooting also claimed the lives of two tourists, a 30-year-old Tunisian and a 42-year-old French national.
The Israeli foreign ministry said the Tunisian citizen who was killed in the attack was a dual Israeli national. The ministry said it is “in contact with the family members of the deceased and is prepared to assist.”
France’s foreign ministry condemned the “heinous attack,” expressing its “concern and deep sadness”.
The identity of the shooter – who was killed by security forces – has not been made known so far.
The attack came amid an annual pilgrimage to the island of Djerba that draws hundreds of Jews from Europe and Israel, Reuters reported.
La Ghriba is Africa’s oldest synagogue, a revered and iconic location at the heart of the island, according to Reuters. It was built on the site of a Jewish temple that is believed to date back almost 1,900 years.
Authorities did not identify a motive for the attack but Islamist militants have previously targeted the pilgrimage in Djerba and have staged other attacks in the country, according to Reuters.
One of the most well-known attacks is the 2002 truck bombing by al Qaeda militants, which killed 21 Western tourists – prompting high security at the synagogue in the following years.