Tunisia Attack: At Least 20 Dead in Shooting at Museum

Tunisian security forces secure the area after gunmen attacked Tunis’ famed Bardo Museum. (FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images)(TUNIS, Tunisia) — At least 20 people have been killed in a shooting attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunisia, including 17 foreign nationals, Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said Wednesday.

In addition, two attackers have also been killed, Essid said, calling it a “cowardly terrorist operation” that targeted tourists.

The tourists were attacked while they were getting off a bus to enter the museum, Essid said, noting this is the first attack there targeting tourists.

The attackers were wearing military fatigues, and when the tourists ran toward the museum to avoid the shooting, the attackers pursued them, Essid said.

Among the 17 tourists killed, the nationalities included Polish, German, Italian and Spanish, Essid said. An additional 22 tourists and two Tunisians were injured, he said.

Radek Sikorski, speaker of Polish Parliament, said seven Polish tourists were dead and three were in in critical condition. And the Italian Foreign Ministry told ABC News that three Italians were dead and six were wounded.

The country’s Interior Ministry initially said earlier Wednesday that eight people had been killed but also noted that a number of hostages were also being held captive in the museum and that security forces were deployed inside it.

Carina D. Klein, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, told ABC News they cannot confirm nor deny whether Americans are among the those dead in the attack.

A statement from the White House Press Secretary offered condolences to the victims of the attack, which it called an example of “heinous violence.” The statement did say that American officials had been in touch with Tunisian authorities to offer assistance.

“While we do not yet know the identities of the attackers or their motives,” the White House statement said, “what we do know is that their cowardly acts will not intimidate the Tunisian people.”

At least two cruise ships, which were at port in Tunis on Wednesday, said passengers were on shore excursions at the time of the shooting. MSC Cruises said its ship, the Splendida, was at port in La Goulette with 3,714 guests and 1,267 crew.

MCS said in a statement that it was still awaiting passengers to return to the ship, and that its departure — scheduled for Wednesday night — had been postponed. “For this, local security authorities set up exceptional security measures in the port and around the ships to ensure the [utmost] safety of MSC Cruises’ guests and crew members.”

Costa Cruises said its Costa Fascinosa was also at port in Tunis at the time of the shooting. A statement from the cruise line said that 14 passengers had not yet returned to the ship, which is scheduled to depart at 12:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.

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