At least five killed, several injured in shooting near ancient synagogue in Tunisia

At least five people were killed after residents fromTunisia's island of Djerba said they heard an exchange of shots near theEl Ghriba synagogue also known asDjerba Synagogue, where aJewish pilgrimage is taking place, on Tuesday (May 9), said theTunisianInterior Ministry.

Theattacker had killed two policemen and two visitors while reportedlytrying to reach a synagogue on the island of Djerba.The assailant was killed by security forces, said the interior ministry.A report by The Jerusalem Post citing sources also claimed that hundreds of Jewish worshippersare in lockdown.

The Tunisian foreign ministrylater identifiedone of the visitors killed as a French citizen and the other as aTunisian. The attack also leftfive security officers and four visitors injured.

Acommunity member named Aitan told TheJerusalem Postsaid that "there is great panic here. We are in lockdown in the synagogue and also in the guesthouse near the synagogue."

According to the Tunisian interior ministry,a guard at the naval centre of the National Guard in Djerba killed a colleague of his and then headed for the El Ghriba synagogue, reported The Jerusalem Post.

The ministry addedthat the guard in questionbegan firing indiscriminately at security guards at the synagogue who confronted him and killed him.The Tunisian Interior Ministry confirmed that the synagogue is cordoned off and secured. An investigation into the incident to find out the killer's motives was also launched, said the officials.

Notably, theannual pilgrimageto Africa's oldest synagogue regularly draws hundreds of Jews from Europe and Israel to the island of Djerbawhich is around 500 kilometres away from the capital city of Tunis.

The pilgrimage has had tight security since al-Qaeda militants attacked the synagogue in 2002 with a truck bomband killed around 21 Western visitors. The predominantly Muslim country, Tunisia, is also home toone of North Africa's largest Jewish communities asJews have reportedlylived in Tunisia since Roman times.

(With inputs from agencies)

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