Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Shootings near the Djerba synagogue in Tunisia

VIOLENCE: 4 killed in shooting near Lag Ba'omer fest at ancient synagogue in Tunisia. Thousands of Jewish pilgrims arrive to the island of Djerba every year for Lag Ba'omer festivities (Zvika Klein, Jerusalem Post).
Two visitors and two security guards were killed in a shooting near the ancient El Ghriba Synagogue (also known as the Djerba Synagogue,) in the city of Djerba in Tunisia on Tuesday. It is as of yet unclear if the visitors were worshipers taking part in a pilgrimage at the synagogue.

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Reports are still coming in. They currently conflict on how many people were killed and wounded. The most recent information I can find:

At least three killed in attack near synagogue in Tunisia (By Eyad Kourdi and Hande Atay Alam, CNN)

Tunisia: Five people shot dead near synagogue. Israel said one of the two civilians killed in the attack near Ghriba synagogue held Israeli citizenship (Middle East Eye)

The reports agree that the shooter (who was killed by police) was a naval installation security guard.

There have been longstanding concerns about terrorism in Tunisia, including at Djerba in connection with Lag B'Omer. That seems likely here, but it's too early to be sure yet what happened.

For the Ghriba Synagogue at Djerba and the annual pilgrimage associated with it, see here and links.

UPDATE (11 May): More information here:

Djerba Tunisia: Worshippers killed near Africa's oldest synagogue (BBC News)

Tunisia’s Jewish pilgrimage and Tuesday’s shooting, explained (Ben Sales, JTA)

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