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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.[5][6][5][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] 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.[14] The Imperial Marhaba hotel is owned by a Spanish company.[13]

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 in the Tunisian presidential election, 2014.[15]

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. On 18 March 2015, three terrorists attacked the museum and took hostages. Two of the gunmen, Tunisian citizens Yassine Labidi and Saber Khachnaoui, were killed by police, while the third attacker is currently at large.[16] Police treated the event as a terrorist attack.[17][18] The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack, and threatened to commit further attacks.[19] However, the Tunisian government blamed a local splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, called the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade, for the attack. A police raid killed nine members on 28 March.[20]

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%.[21] Tourists from the hotel as well as from the Soviva Hotel located nearby went to the beach to swim and sunbathe.[22]

At around noon, 22-year-old Seifeddine Rezgui (also known as Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani[23]) from Kairouan,[24] disguised as a tourist,[25] socialized with others, then he took out a Kalashnikov rifle from under a beach umbrella and opened fire on the tourists on the beach.[21] He entered the hotel, shooting at every individual.[21] He was later killed by security forces after an exchange of fire.[21] It is suspected that another gunman took part in the attack.[2][26]

Victims

Nationality Deaths Wounded Total Ref.
 United Kingdom 13 24 37 [3]
 Belgium 1 3 4 [3]
 Germany 1 1 [27]
 Ireland 1 1 [28][29]
 Portugal 1 1 [30]
 Tunisia 7 7 [3]
 Russia 1 1 [3]
 Ukraine 1 1 [31]
unknown 23 2 30
Total 40 38 78

Forty people, mostly Western tourists, were killed. Interior Ministry officials said Tunisians, Britons, Germans and Belgians were among the dead.[26] One of the victims was an Irish woman in her fifties on holiday with her husband.[32] Another 38 people were wounded in the attack.[21][33] [34][35][36]

Aftermath

Immediately after attack, the flight JAF5017 on its way to Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport was redirected to Brussels.[21]

German tour operator TUI offered German tourists the opportunity to fly back to Germany and to cancel or adjust their bookings in Tunisia.[37]

British tour operator Thomson announced that flights to Tunisia will be cancelled until at least 4 July 2015,[38] with ten flights departing on the evening of the attacks to bring 2,500 customers in the resort back to the United Kingdom.[39] EasyJet and Thomas Cook also announced that customers would be able to change their travel plans free of charge.[40]

Hotels were to be targeted in future attacks both to undermine tourism and because they were considered "brothels" by ISIS.[41]

Response

Domestic

International

  •  Belgium – Prime Minister Charles Michel said his 'thoughts are with the relatives and victims in Tunisia'.[43]
  •  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"[44]
  •  India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attacks in France, Tunisia, and Kuwait., saying the progress of humanity lies in peace and brotherhood instead of hatred and mindless violence.[45]
  •  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."[46]
  •  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".[40]
  •  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"[47]
  •  United Kingdom – Prime Minister David Cameron criticised the perpetrators and supported the Tunisian Government following the attack.[21] The Foreign Office sent a team to the hotel to support British survivors and know more about the British victims.[21] Cameron later led several COBRA meetings.[48] 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.[49]
  •  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."[44]

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.[50]

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 c d e "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. ^ a b "Africa - Scores killed in terror attack on Tunisian beach resort". France 24.
  6. ^ "Gunman kills 39 at Tunisian beachside hotel, Islamic State claims attack". Reuters.
  7. ^ "At least 27 dead in shooting on Tunisia tourist beach: reports". news.
  8. ^ http://rt.com/news/269971-tunisia-hotels-tourists-attack/
  9. ^ "Tunisia shooting survivor says fiancé acted as human shield". World News.
  10. ^ "Tunisia beach resort massacre kills 39". yahoo.com.
  11. ^ "Melbourne parents claim left-behind boy". yahoo.com.
  12. ^ "At least 5 Britons dead in Tunisia « Shropshire Star". shropshirestar.com.
  13. ^ a b Naina Bajekal. "Tourist Hotels On Tunisian Coast Under Attack". TIME.com.
  14. ^ Payne, Ed; Black, Phil; Smith-Spark, Laura. "Tunisia attack: Tourists flee the country after gunman kills 38". CNN. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  15. ^ Markey, Patrick; Amara, Tarek (22 December 2014). "Veteran Essebsi wins Tunisia's first free presidential vote". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Third Tunisia museum attacker 'on the run', says president". Yahoo! News. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  17. ^ "21 dead in Tunisia attack, Including Gunmen". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  18. ^ Marszal, Andrew (18 March 2015). "Gunmen 'take hostages' in attack on Tunisia parliament". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  19. ^ "ISIS Claims Responsibility For Tunisia Museum Attack". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  20. ^ "Gunmen storm Tunisian museum, kill 17 foreign tourists". Reuters. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ Elgot, Jessica (26 June 2015). "Deadly attack on Tunisia tourist hotel in Sousse resort". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Seifeddine Regui alias Abu Yahya al-Qayrawani has been named by Islamic State as the gunman". Express.co.uk. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ Amara, Tarek (26 June 2015). "Gun attack kills at least 28, including Europeans, at Tunisian beachside hotel". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  26. ^ a b c "Tunisia attack on Sousse hotels 'kills 37'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  27. ^ "8 Britons, one Belgian, one German identified among Tunisia victims". The Daily Star. 27 June 2015.
  28. ^ http://article.wn.com/view/2015/06/26/Irish_woman_among_fatalities_in_Tunisia_attack/
  29. ^ http://article.wn.com/view/2015/06/26/Irish_woman_shot_dead_in_Tunisia_attack_was_wellknown_nurse/
  30. ^ "Uma portuguesa entre as vítimas do atentado na Tunísia - Portugal - DN". DN.
  31. ^ Ukrainian woman injured in attack on Tunisia resort, life not in danger - Foreign Ministry
  32. ^ Lally, Conor. "Irish woman one of 27 dead in Tunisian attack". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  33. ^ http://mashable.com/2015/06/26/tunisia-tourist-resort-attack/
  34. ^ http://wn.com/gunmen_kill_27_in_attack_on_tunisian_resort,_officials_say
  35. ^ http://atwnetwork.com/2015/06/26/tunisia-sousse-attacks-death-toll-rises-to-37/
  36. ^ http://atwnetwork.com/2015/06/26/tunisia-sousse-attacks-at-least-27-dead/
  37. ^ Schuetze, Arno (26 June 2015). "Germany's TUI offers to fly Tunisia tourists home". Reuters. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  38. ^ "Thomson Fly Travel Alert". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  39. ^ "Thomson Holidays". Facebook. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  40. ^ a b "The Latest: At least 5 Britons killed in Tunisia attack". Yahoo News. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  41. ^ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/tunisia-hotel-attack-gunman-imperial-hotel-sousse-resort/1/447398.html
  42. ^ 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.
  43. ^ "Charles Michel on Twitter". Twitter.
  44. ^ a b "Tunisia attacks 26 June 2015: As it happened – BBC News". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  45. ^ "Narendra Modi condemns 'cowardly' attacks in Kuwait, Tunisia, France". The Economic Times.
  46. ^ "Over 200 killed as Islamist terror wave hits Mideast, France". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  47. ^ "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.
  48. ^ "PM to chair emergency Cobra meeting after Tunisia attacks". ITV News.
  49. ^ "UK on terror red alert for weekend's Armed Forces Day events and Pride London". Express. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  50. ^ "Terrorist Attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait Kill Dozens". The New York Times.
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