Two Jewish pilgrims and security guards die as cop opens fire in Tunisia synagogue

As many as four people including two worshippers were fatally shot during an annual Jewish pilgrimage to a well-known Tunisian synagogue on Tuesday. According to the internal ministry of Tunisia, the attack was carried out by a police officer. It also stated that four other visitors to the Ghriba synagogue on Djerba Island were injured, along with five additional security officers, before the mass shooter was killed. The Tunisian foreign ministry, in a statement, identified the two worshippers who lost their lives as a 30-year-old Tunisian and a 42-year-old French citizen, but did not disclose their names. The interior ministry reported that the assailant initially killed a colleague and obtained their ammunition before proceeding to the Ghriba synagogue. This incident occurred during the final stages of the annual pilgrimage, which drew hundreds of participants. The Ghriba synagogue holds the distinction of being Africa’s oldest synagogue. It had previously been the target of a suicide truck bombing in 2002, resulting in the loss of 21 lives. The interior ministry stated that investigations are ongoing to uncover the motives behind this aggressive act but refrained from categorising the shooting as a terrorist attack. Local media reported that the sound of gunshots at the synagogue caused panic among the numerous pilgrims in attendance. According to organizers, over 5,000 Jewish devotees, predominantly from abroad, participated in this year’s pilgrimage to Ghriba. The pilgrimage resumed in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Past attacks in Tunisia Tunisia’s most recent significant attack occurred in 2020 when a blast targeted police outside the US embassy, resulting in the death of one officer. In 2019, two suicide blasts targeted police outside the French embassy, also claiming the life of one officer. In 2015, Islamist militants carried out separate attacks at a beach resort and a Tunis museum, resulting in the deaths of numerous tourists. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.