Attack on Tunisian synagogue leaves four dead

A Tunisian naval guard attempted to attack a synagogue on Tuesday, fatally shooting two security officers and two visitors and injuring about 10 others.

The attack came during a time when many Jews make an annual pilgrimage to the island of Djerba, traveling from Europe and Israel, Reuters reported.

The attacker was eventually killed by security guards at the scene, according to the Tunisian Interior Ministry.

Investigators are still working to find a motive for the attack, and the shooter has not yet been publicly identified.

Tunisia, once a highly-sought tourist destination and foundation of several Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings, has recently succumbed to a severe political and economic crisis.

Djerba, an island off the southern coast of the country where the synagogue is located, is host to Tunisia’s central Jewish community.

While it’s not yet clear whether the casualties were pilgrims attending ceremonies at the 2,500-year-old Ghriba temple, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that one was French and the other Tunisian.

The assailant was confirmed to be affiliated with the National Guard naval center, located in the port town of Aghir, Djerba.

He shot and killed a colleague with his weapon before seizing ammunition and heading toward the Ghriba synagogue, according to the ministry.

When he approached the temple, he opened fire on security guards who were able to fire back and kill him before he reached the entrance.

The synagogue was immediately put on lockdown, and those inside and out were kept secure as authorities investigated the scene.

With News Wire Services