The attackers killed at least 17 foreign tourists at the Bardo National Museum in central Tunis during Wednesday's assault before they were killed, Habib Essid said after the crisis was over.
He said his government was working to find out the identity of the two attackers.
Earlier, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said that all hostages were freed and the security operation was over.
Polish and Italian tourists were among the 22 people wounded, officials said.
Television footage showed dozens of people, including elderly foreigners and one man carrying a child, running for shelter in the compound next to the parliament, covered by security forces aiming rifles into the air.
The building near the museum was evacuated soon after the attack.
"This is cowardly act to undermine our economy and a vital sector [tourism] contributing to it," Essid said.
"It is long battle to fight. We need all Tunisians to stand up against this act."
Blow to tourism
Wednesday's incident was the first on a tourist site in years in Tunisia, a shaky democracy that has struggled to keep violence at bay since the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.
The attack on such a prominent target is a blow for the small North African country that relies heavily on European tourism and has avoided major violence since its the revolution.
The Bardo National Museum, built within a 15th-century palace, is the largest museum in Tunisia with collections covering two floors, and it houses one of the world's largest collections of Roman mosaics.
It was not immediately clear who the attackers were.
Tunisia has been more stable than other countries in the region, but it has struggled with violence by armed groups in recent years, including some linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.
Tunisia also has fighters linked to al-Qaeda's North Africa arm who occasionally target Tunisian security forces.
Wednesday's assault was the worst attack involving foreigners in Tunisia since an al-Qaeda suicide bombing on a synagogue killed 21 people on the tourist island of Djerba in 2002.
aljazeera.com
18/3/15
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Tunisian security forces have freed all the hostages held at a Tunis museum after a militant attack in which at least 11 people were killed, and the rescue operation has ended, a spokesman for the interior ministry said on Wednesday...
ReplyDeleteTwo militants and one policemen were killed in clashes after gunmen assaulted the museum. At least seven foreign tourists and a Tunisian were also killed in the initial attack.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Official-Tunisian-forces-free-all-hostages-from-Tunis-museum-after-attack-394331
18/3/15
Nineteen people, including 17 foreign tourists, have been killed after gunmen targeted a museum in the Tunisian capital, the Prime Minister says...
ReplyDeleteItalian, Spanish, Polish and German citizens were among those killed, as well as a Tunisian and a police officer, PM Habib Essid said.
Security forces killed two gunmen and were searching for accomplices, he added.
The attack happened at the Bardo Museum in central Tunis.
At the time of the attack deputies in the neighbouring parliamentary building were discussing anti-terrorism legislation. Parliament was evacuated following the attack.
At least 22 tourists and two Tunisians were injured in the attack, Mr Essid said............http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31941672
18/3/15
At least 21 dead after attack on Tunisia museum...
ReplyDeleteAttackers opened fire Wednesday at a major museum in Tunisia's capital, gunning down 17 tourists as dozens more sprinted to safety. At least 21 people in all were killed, including two gunmen, but some attackers may have escaped, authorities said.
The attack on the famed National Bardo Museum in Tunis was the first on a tourist site in years in Tunisia, a shaky young democracy that has struggled to keep Islamic extremist violence at bay.
It wasn't clear who the attackers were but security forces immediately flooded the area. Tunisia's parliament building, next to the museum, was evacuated..............http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/at-least-21-dead-after-attack-on-tunisia-museum-1.2285422
18/3/15
Tunisia president vows 'no mercy' in 'war on terrorism'...
ReplyDeleteIslamic State says it killed tourists in Tunisia...
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - Tunisia said it would deploy the army to major cities and arrested nine people on Thursday after 20 foreign tourists were shot dead in an attack on a museum which Islamic State militants called "the first drop of the rain".
Japanese, Italian, Spanish and British visitors, as well as three Tunisians, were among the victims of the attack, which took place in the heavily guarded parliament compound of a country largely spared the violent aftermath of the Arab Spring.
Officials did not confirm the militants' claim of responsibility, but said they had identified two gunmen shot dead by security forces after the shootings, which targeted tourist buses visiting the Bardo museum on Wednesday.
The two gunmen were trained at a jihadist camp in Libya, the Tunisian government said. Interior ministry official Rafik Chelli said the two men had been recruited at mosques in Tunisia and traveled to Libya in September..................http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/19/us-tunisia-security-tourists-idUSKBN0MF13W20150319?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
19/3/15