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Tunisia shooting: 8 dead at Bardo Museum | Tunisia shooting: 8 dead at Bardo Museum |
(35 minutes later) | |
Gunmen have fatally shot at least eight people at a leading Tunisian museum where a hostage situation is thought to be taking place, amid reports that shots were fired at the nearby parliament building earlier. | |
Interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui told Radio Mosaique that one Tunisian and seven foreigners were killed during the attack on the Bardo Museum in the capital, Tunis. He did not provide nationalities for the other victims. | |
The interior ministry is now attempting to verify reports that militants have taken tourists hostage, as security forces surround two militants holed up inside the Bardo Museum. | |
Images emerging on social media reportedly taken by a hostage appear to show around 30 tourists gathered inside a room adorned with mosaics. | |
According to reports from the Radio Mosaique, three men dressed in military-style clothing stormed the museum. | |
a tweet by one of the hostages at Bardo museum #Tunisia #Hostages pic.twitter.com/hmvyyHYZQB | |
A UK Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are urgently looking into the serious situation in Tunisia." | |
The Parliament building in Tunisia where gunshots were reportedly fired (Image: Wikimedia Commons) Earlier, the TAP state media agency reported that gunshots broke out at the country's parliament at midday. | |
A witness near the parliament told Reuters a large police presence was moving to evacuate the government building. | |
Politicians and staff have gathered in the building's hall, a member of parliament told AFP. | Politicians and staff have gathered in the building's hall, a member of parliament told AFP. |
The museum stands adjacent to the national Parliament building, and documents Tunisia's history and includes one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics. | The museum stands adjacent to the national Parliament building, and documents Tunisia's history and includes one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics. |
It is unclear who the attackers are. However, Tunisia has struggled with violence by Islamic extremists in recent years, who emerged after the country's 2011 uprising against autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. | |
More to follow | More to follow |
Additional reporting by AP and Reuters | Additional reporting by AP and Reuters |