At least 13 people were killed in
Tuesday’s apparent suicide bombing of a Tunisian presidential guard bus
in central Tunis, prompting the government to declare a state of
emergency in the capital.
Troops and armed police patrolled the city streets and set up checkpoints searching vehicles and pedestrians.
At Tunis international airport security forces were allowing in only passengers travelling, Reuters reported.
Tuesday’s blast on a main boulevard was the third major attack on Tunisia this year following the gun assaults on a Sousse resort hotel in June and the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March, both claimed by Islamic State. Officials had earlier put the death toll at 12.
“This is a new type of attack that targets the prestige of the state, such as the symbol of the presidential guard,” said presidential security official, Hichem Gharbi. “We are facing a real challenge with an attack right in the city centre.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.
Officials said it was not immediately clear what kind of explosive had
been used to rip through the bus as guards were boarding to be driven to
the presidential palace for duty.
But one presidential source said on Tuesday it was likely a bomber detonated his explosive belt inside the vehicle.
Troops and armed police patrolled the city streets and set up checkpoints searching vehicles and pedestrians.
At Tunis international airport security forces were allowing in only passengers travelling, Reuters reported.
Tuesday’s blast on a main boulevard was the third major attack on Tunisia this year following the gun assaults on a Sousse resort hotel in June and the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March, both claimed by Islamic State. Officials had earlier put the death toll at 12.
“This is a new type of attack that targets the prestige of the state, such as the symbol of the presidential guard,” said presidential security official, Hichem Gharbi. “We are facing a real challenge with an attack right in the city centre.”
But one presidential source said on Tuesday it was likely a bomber detonated his explosive belt inside the vehicle.
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