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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/26/tunisia-resort-gun-attack-britons-believed-to-be-caught-up-in-incident
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| Tunisia resort gun attack: Britons believed to be caught up in incident | Tunisia resort gun attack: Britons believed to be caught up in incident |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| British tourists are believed to have been caught up in a gun attack on a beach in a Tunisian tourist resort in which at least 27 people have been killed. | British tourists are believed to have been caught up in a gun attack on a beach in a Tunisian tourist resort in which at least 27 people have been killed. |
| The UK Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports that Britons were involved in the incident on Friday and was looking into them. | |
| Related: Tunisia attack: multiple deaths reported at beach resort – live updates | Related: Tunisia attack: multiple deaths reported at beach resort – live updates |
| In a statement, tour operator Thomas Cook said: “Thomas Cook has been advised of an incident that occurred earlier today in Sousse, Tunisia. | In a statement, tour operator Thomas Cook said: “Thomas Cook has been advised of an incident that occurred earlier today in Sousse, Tunisia. |
| “At this time, details are not clear as to which property(ies) have been affected, with conflicting news reports. | “At this time, details are not clear as to which property(ies) have been affected, with conflicting news reports. |
| “We are currently gathering information and will provide an update as soon as possible. Our teams on the ground are offering every support to our customers and their families in the area. | “We are currently gathering information and will provide an update as soon as possible. Our teams on the ground are offering every support to our customers and their families in the area. |
| “We will continue to monitor the situation, working closely with the FCO and local authorities.” | “We will continue to monitor the situation, working closely with the FCO and local authorities.” |
| It is believed there are scores of Irish holidaymakers in Sousse at the moment. While Dublin’s Department of Foreign Affairs could not immediately confirm the number of citizens in the resort, it said there were no reports at this stage of any Irish people being hurt. | It is believed there are scores of Irish holidaymakers in Sousse at the moment. While Dublin’s Department of Foreign Affairs could not immediately confirm the number of citizens in the resort, it said there were no reports at this stage of any Irish people being hurt. |
| “Our embassy in Madrid and our honorary consul in Tunis are monitoring the situation in Sousse, Tunisia, and are providing updates,” a spokeswoman said. “We are currently not aware of any Irish citizens involved in the incident.” | “Our embassy in Madrid and our honorary consul in Tunis are monitoring the situation in Sousse, Tunisia, and are providing updates,” a spokeswoman said. “We are currently not aware of any Irish citizens involved in the incident.” |
| Sousse is a city on the east coast of Tunisia, about 87 miles (140km) south of the capital, Tunis. | Sousse is a city on the east coast of Tunisia, about 87 miles (140km) south of the capital, Tunis. |
| Around 1.2 million tourists visit Sousse every year, drawn by the hotels, sandy beaches and culture. | Around 1.2 million tourists visit Sousse every year, drawn by the hotels, sandy beaches and culture. |
| Hotel complexes with 40,000 beds span the old city to the Port El Kantaoui and the city is home to a Unesco-protected mosque, as well as a historic medina. | Hotel complexes with 40,000 beds span the old city to the Port El Kantaoui and the city is home to a Unesco-protected mosque, as well as a historic medina. |
| Boujaafar beach stretches from the Gulf of Hammamet several miles north to Port El Kantaoui – a purpose-built resort with dozens of hotels including the El Mouradi Palm Marina, El Mouradi Palace and Riu Imperial Marhaba. | Boujaafar beach stretches from the Gulf of Hammamet several miles north to Port El Kantaoui – a purpose-built resort with dozens of hotels including the El Mouradi Palm Marina, El Mouradi Palace and Riu Imperial Marhaba. |
| Elizabeth O’Brien, an Irishwoman on holiday with her two sons in the resort, described how she grabbed her children and ran for their lives when they heard gunfire erupting from one of the hotels. | Elizabeth O’Brien, an Irishwoman on holiday with her two sons in the resort, described how she grabbed her children and ran for their lives when they heard gunfire erupting from one of the hotels. |
| “I thought ‘oh my God, it sounds like gunfire’, so I just ran to the sea to my children and grabbed our things and as I was running towards the hotel, the waiters and the security on the beach started saying ‘run, run run!’ and we just ran to our room, which is like a little bungalow. | “I thought ‘oh my God, it sounds like gunfire’, so I just ran to the sea to my children and grabbed our things and as I was running towards the hotel, the waiters and the security on the beach started saying ‘run, run run!’ and we just ran to our room, which is like a little bungalow. |
| “So we are actually trapped in our room.” | “So we are actually trapped in our room.” |