Deadly shooting near Africa’s oldest synagogue
Two visitors and two security guards were killed in a gun attack near Africa’s oldest synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba. The incident occurred during an annual pilgrimage that attracts Jewish visitors from Europe and Israel. A guard allegedly killed his partner and then targeted visitors and security forces before being killed himself. The motivation behind the attack remains unclear. One of the victims is a French national, while several others were injured.
The Ghriba synagogue has previously been targeted, with a bomb attack in 2002 claiming more than 20 lives. The annual pilgrimage has since maintained tight security. Tunisia is a majority-Muslim country, but Djerba is home to hundreds of Jews.
Video footage posted online showed visitors fleeing as gunshots were heard. Over 5,000 Jews participated in the 2022 pilgrimage, according to local organisers cited by AFP news agency.