“No to terrorism” was the message from Tunisia as crowds marched through Sousse a day after a gunman killed 39 people in the resort town
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“No to terrorism” was the message from Tunisia as crowds marched through Sousse a day after a gunman killed 39 people in the resort town.
Demonstrators gathered at the Hotel Imperial Marhaba. The site was targeted by the attacker named by officials as 23-year-old Seifeddine Rezgui. Crowds then took to the streets to denounce the shootings, which were claimed by the group calling itself Islamic State.
A separate demonstration was held in the capital Tunis.
Victims
Most of the victims were tourists. A least 15 were British.
PM: I have asked for the flags over No10 to be flown at half-mast in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in #Tunisia.
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) June 28, 2015
Spoken today to the Tunisian Prime Minister & FM, FM #Steinmeier & @LaurentFabius to discuss collective response to #TunisiaAttack #Sousse
— Philip Hammond (@PHammondMP) June 27, 2015
Others confirmed dead were from Germany, Belgium and Ireland. There are also thought to have been Tunisian victims.
Security clampdown
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid has vowed to step up security at tourist sites. He announced army reservists would be deployed, while 80 mosques accused of inciting violence are expected to be closed in the week following the attack.
In recent years militant Islamists have gained strength in Tunisia, despite a transition to democracy following the 2011 uprising against autocrat former leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.