Gun attack kills at least 37 at Tunisian hotel

SOUSSE, Tunisia: A gunman disguised as a tourist opened fire at a Tunisian hotel yesterday with a weapon he had hidden in an umbrella, killing 37 people, including British, German and Belgian tourists, as they lounged at the beach and pool in a popular resort town.

Terrified tourists ran for cover after the gunfire and an explosion erupted at the Imperial Marhaba in Sousse resort town, 140 km south of the capital Tunis, before police shot the gunman dead, witnesses and security officials said.

The attack took place during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, on a day in which a decapitated body daubed with Arabic writing was found in France, a suicide bomber killed two dozen people at a mosque in Kuwait and at least 145 civilians were reported killed by Islamic State militants in northern Syria.

Islamic State claimed the Kuwait attack and had urged its followers to step up assaults during Ramadan but it was not known whether the Tunisian attacker was inspired by the group.

Rafik Chelli, a senior interior ministry official, said the gunman killed was a student, unknown to authorities and not on any watchlist of potential jihadists.

After pulling out a weapon hidden inside an umbrella, the assailant strolled through the hotel grounds, opening fire at the pool and beach, reloading his weapon several times and tossing an explosive, witnesses said.

It was the worst attack in Tunisia’s modern history and the second major massacre this year following the Islamist militant assault on Tunis Bardo museum when gunmen killed 21 foreign visitors.

British, German and Belgian nationals were among the 37 dead while 36 others were wounded in the shooting.

Tunisia’s beach resorts and nightclubs on the Mediterranean are popular with foreigners.

Irishwoman Elizabeth O’Brien, who was staying at a neighbouring hotel with her two sons, said there was panic on the beach when gunfire erupted. “I honestly thought it was fireworks and then when I saw people running... I thought, my God, it is shooting.”

In Sousse, many tourists were already checking out of hotels to leave after the attack.

German tour operator TUI said it was organising flights for tourists wishing to return home.

Six million tourists, mostly Europeans, visited Tunisia’s beaches, desert treks and medina souks last year, providing seven percent of its gross domestic product.

“This is a catastrophe for the economy,” tourism minister Salma Loumi said. “Our losses will be great, but the loss of human life was even greater.” – Reuters