The Tunisian government will deploy more army and police personnel across capital Tunis following Wednesday's attack on a local museum
March 19, 2015
TUNIS
The Tunisian government will deploy more army and police personnel across capital Tunis following Wednesday's attack on a local museum that left 23 people, including 20 foreign tourists, dead, Prime Minister Habib Essid said.
At a press conference in Tunis following a high-level security meeting, Essid said his government would review its security strategy and conduct a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the security lapses that allowed the attack to occur.
He also said his government would tighten security at tourist sites and government buildings nationwide.
The measures come one day after at least 23 people, including 20 foreign tourists, were killed when gunmen stormed Tunis' Bardo Museum.
Tourists from Italy, Japan, Poland and Spain were among those killed in the attack, for which there has been no claim of responsibility.
Tunisia's Bardo Museum to reopen next week: Minister
Meanwhile Tunisia's National Bardo Museum will reopen next week, a senior Tunisian official said Thursday.
"The museum will reopen its doors either on Monday or Tuesday," Culture Minister Latifa Lakhdhar said at a press briefing held at the museum.
She added that new security measures would be agreed upon by her ministry and the Interior Ministry. Lakhdhar noted that the measures would include the deployment of 400 additional security personnel at the museum.
On Wednesday, Tunis' National Bardo Museum was the site of a deadly attack by five gunmen.
The attack left 23 people, including 20 tourists, dead and several others wounded.
Sitting beside Lakhdhar was a large number of government ministers who also attended the briefing at the museum.
Lakhdhar said a government liaison group would soon be formed to oversee the implementation of measures agreed upon by her ministry and the Interior Ministry.
Museum Director Moncef bin Moussa, meanwhile, said the museum attack had not caused any material damage.
In 2002, at least 14 people, including seven foreign tourists, were killed in a suicide attack on a Jewish synagogue in western Tunisia.
