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2015 Sousse attacks

Coordinates: 35°54′43.52″N 10°34′48.1″E / 35.9120889°N 10.580028°E / 35.9120889; 10.580028
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2015 Sousse attacks
LocationRiu Imperial Marhaba and Soviva, El Kantaoui, Sousse, Tunisia
Coordinates35°54′43.52″N 10°34′48.1″E / 35.9120889°N 10.580028°E / 35.9120889; 10.580028
Date26 June 2015
12:00[1] (GMT+1)
TargetLuxury hotel tourists
WeaponsKalashnikov rifles[2]
Deaths40[3]
Injured38

The Sousse attacks occurred on 26 June 2015 at the tourist resort at Port El Kantaoui, about 10 kilometres north of the city of Sousse, Tunisia. Forty people, mostly tourists, were killed when armed gunmen attacked two hotels. It is the deadliest non-state attack in modern Tunisian history, surpassing the Bardo National Museum attack earlier in the year.[5]

Background

See also: Bardo National Museum attack

The post-Tunisian revolution led to the 2014 parliamentary election in which the principal secularist party gained a plurality but was unable to govern alone, and ultimately formed a national unity government. Similarly, secularist Beji Caid Essebsi was elected president Tunisian presidential election, 2014.[6]

Earlier that year, the Bardo National Museum in Tunis was attacked, leading to the deaths of twenty-two people, including twenty foreigners visiting the museum. This act was followed by a national march entitled The World Is Bardo and a series of international solidarity with Tunisia.[7]

Attack

On 26 June 2015, the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel, a five-star property at Port El Kantaoui, a tourist complex situated on the coast about ten kilometres north of Sousse, Tunisia was hosting 565 guests mainly from Western Europe and was occupied at a rate of 77%.[8] Tourists from the hotel as well as from the Soviva Hotel located nearby went to the beach to swim and sunbathe.[9]

At around noon, 22-year-old Seifeddine Rezgui from Kairouan,[10] disguised as a tourist,[11] socialized with others, then he took out a Kalashnikov rifle from under a parasol and opened fire on the tourists on the beach.[8] He entered the hotel, shooting at every individual.[8] Finally, he was killed by security forces after an exchange of fire.[8] There is suspected to be another armed gunman who partook in the attack.[2][12]

Victims

Nationality Deaths Wounded Total
 United Kingdom 8 [13] 8
 Belgium 1 [3] 1
 Germany 1[14] 1
 Ireland 1 1
 Portugal 1 1 [15]
unknown:
above nationalities plus
 France
 Russia
 Tunisia
 Ukraine		 28 38 66
Total 40 38 78

Forty people, mostly Western tourists, were killed. Interior Ministry officials said Tunisians, Britons, Germans and Belgians were among the dead.[12] One of the victims was an Irish woman in her fifties, who was on holiday with her husband.[16] Furthermore, 38 people were wounded in the attack.[8]

Aftermath

German tour operator TUI had programmed some offers for German tourists in order to allow them to fly back to Germany and to cancel or adjust their bookings in Tunisia.[17]

British tour operator Thomson announced that flights to Tunisia will be cancelled until at least 4 July 2015,[18] with ten flights departing on the evening of the attacks to bring 2,500 customers in the resort back to the United Kingdom.[19] easyJet and Thomas Cook also announced that customers would be able to change their travel plans free of charge.[20]

Response

Domestic

International

  •  Egypt – President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi condemned the attacks and said: "Egypt affirms that it stands with those countries that suffer from the scourge of terrorism and expresses its full support for their efforts in their war against terrorism and extremism, which knows no boundaries or religions"[22]
  •  India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attacks in Kuwait, Tunisia and France, saying the progress of humanity lies in peace and brotherhood instead of hatred and mindless violence.[23]
  •  Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks show that the world is locked in a struggle against "dark forces" and that "the brutal murders in France, Tunisia and Kuwait again underscore that the enlightened world is struggling against dark forces. The fight against the murderous terrorism of extremist Islam requires unity, the beginning of which is the unequivocal condemnation of the murderers and those who support them."[24]
  •  Russia – President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences and that the Kremlin said they have "confirmed readiness to cooperate most closely with the Tunisian leadership in fighting terror threat".[20]
  •  Singapore – The Ministry of Foreign affairs condemned the attacks and reiterated the country's strong opposition to such incidents: "Singapore strongly condemns the acts of violence and the loss of innocent lives in the three terrorist attacks that occurred on 26 June 2015 in Sousse, Tunisia, Kuwait City, Kuwait, and Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, France. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims on their tragic loss. These brutal acts of terror are another reminder that we need to remain vigilant and work closely with our international partners to combat terrorism and counter violent extremism"[25]
  •  United Kingdom – Prime Minister David Cameron criticised the perpetrators and supported the Tunisian Government following the attack.[8] The Foreign Office sent a team to the hotel to support British survivors and know more about the British victims.[8] The Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner announced an hightened police presence and security for Armed Forces Day and Pride London events taking place in London over the weekend.[26] The Prime Minister lead several COBRA meetings.[27]
  •  United States – White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said: "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in France, Kuwait and Tunisia today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of these heinous attacks, their loved ones, and the people of all three countries. Terrorism has no place in any society, and the United States will continue to work closely with our international partners to combat terrorist actors and counter violent extremism around the globe."[22]

Other Islamist attacks

Three other Islamist attacks took place on the same day in France, Kuwait and Somalia. The attacks followed an audio message released three days earlier by ISIS senior leader Abu Mohammad al-Adnani encouraging militants everywhere to attack during the month of Ramadan. No definitive link between the attacks has yet been established. One attack, at a French factory, resulted in the beheading of one person; another bombing at a Shia mosque in Kuwait City killed at least 25; and the other attack on an African Union base in Somalia undertaken by Al-Shabaab, killed at least 70.[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ "At least 27 tourists dead in Tunisian hotel attacks as gunmen 'shoot people on sunbeds' along beach packed with western holidaymakers". Daily Mail. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Deadly attack on Tunisia tourist hotel in resort of Sousse". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Tunisia hotel attack: Live updates as authorities reveal 'majority' of victims are British". Mirror. 27 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Dozens killed in attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France". The Big Story. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  5. ^ "SHOCKING: Terrorists Attack Tunisia, Kuwait and France In One Day". ScrewLife.com. ScrewLife.com. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  6. ^ Markey, Patrick; Amara, Tarek (22 December 2014). "Veteran Essebsi wins Tunisia's first free presidential vote". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  7. ^ Amara, Tarek; Argoubi, Mohamed (29 March 2015). "Thousands of Tunisians, leaders march after Bardo attack". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Siddique, Haroon; Jalabi, Raya (26 June 2015). "Terror attacks: deadly gun assault on Tunisia tourist beach – live updates". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  9. ^ Elgot, Jessica (26 June 2015). "Deadly attack on Tunisia tourist hotel in Sousse resort". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  10. ^ "L'attaque terroriste contre un hôtel à Sousse : Ce qu'il faut savoir sur son auteur" (in French). Mosaique FM. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  11. ^ Amara, Tarek (26 June 2015). "Gun attack kills at least 28, including Europeans, at Tunisian beachside hotel". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  12. ^ a b c "Tunisia attack on Sousse hotels 'kills 37'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Five Britons dead in Tunisia attack". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  14. ^ "8 Britons, one Belgian, one German identified among Tunisia victims". The Daily Star. 27 June 2015.
  15. ^ http://www.dn.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=4648431
  16. ^ Lally, Conor. "Irish woman one of 27 dead in Tunisian attack". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  17. ^ Schuetze, Arno (26 June 2015). "Germany's TUI offers to fly Tunisia tourists home". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Thomson Fly Travel Alert". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  19. ^ "Thomson Holidays". Facebook. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  20. ^ a b "The Latest: At least 5 Britons killed in Tunisia attack". Yahoo News. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  21. ^ Ensor, Josie; Henderson, Barney (26 June 2015). "Tunisia attack: deadly shooting in front of tourist beach hotel in Sousse – latest". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  22. ^ a b "Tunisia attacks 26 June 2015: As it happened – BBC News". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Narendra Modi condemns 'cowardly' attacks in Kuwait, Tunisia, France". The Economic Times.
  24. ^ "Over 200 killed as Islamist terror wave hits Mideast, France". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  25. ^ "MFA Spokesman's Comments in response to media queries on the terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France on 26 June 2015". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  26. ^ "UK on terror red alert for weekend's Armed Forces Day events and Pride London". Express. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  27. ^ http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-06-27/pm-to-chair-emergency-cobra-meeting-after-tunisia-attacks/
  28. ^ "Terrorist Attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait Kill Dozens". The New York Times.
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