Officials say the assault appeared to have been carried out by a lone gunman, who was later shot dead by authorities. No terrorist organizations have claimed responsibility for the attack but police say the main suspects are Islamic militants groups operating in the area.
Tourists and Tunisian locals were attacked by terrorists at a popular beachside in the resort city of Sousse, Tunisia at about noontime on Friday. Early reports say that terrorists killed at least 27 people.
The city is a popular destination for tourists traveling through the region, and it is believed that terrorists chose the location and time because they knew that Sousse beaches would be crowded.
The attack is the second terrorist event in Tunisia targeting tourists in the last three months.
The country’s tourism industry suffered a blow on March 18, when attackers struck the Bardo National Museum in the capital city, leaving 21 people dead many of them European tourists.
Officials say the assault appeared to have been carried out by a lone gunman, who was later shot dead by authorities. No terrorist organizations have claimed responsibility for the attack but police say the main suspects are Islamic militants groups operating in the area.
Witnesses of the attack described the terror which engulfed the beach as sunbathers were shot dead in their lounge chairs and everyone ran for cover.
“We heard what we thought was fireworks, then people were screaming and starting to run in all directions,” British vacationer Steve Johnson told the BBC.
Another vacationer, Gary Pine, told Channel 4 in London that “you could hear the bullets whizzing through the air.
“I was happy to get off that beach,” he added.
Tunisian radio Mosaique said Tunisian President Beji Caid Essesbsi and Prime Minister Habib Essid were traveling to the scene of the attack.
The attack was not the only one which gathered international attention on Friday. Kuwait also suffered an explosion at a Shiite Muslim mosque that left at least 25 dead and 202 people wounded. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility of the Kuwaiti attack, according to media reports.