Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Deadly Attack in Tunisia

The Islamic State claimed responsibility Thursday for an attack on a major museum in Tunisia’s capital that killed 23 people and injured scores of others, including many foreign tourists.

The claim came in an audio recording distributed on social media accounts associated with the group. It said that the attack was carried out by two fighters who struck a “malicious group from the citizens of the crusader countries.”

It included a warning to “apostates in Muslim Tunisia,” saying “you will not enjoy security nor be pleased with peace while the Islamic State has men like these who do not sleep amidst grievances.”

Two gunmen were killed during a three-hour standoff at the National Bardo Museum on Wednesday, according to Tunisian officials.

On Thursday, the government announced the arrest of nine suspects, including four people who are believed to have been directly involved in the attack.

Tunisia is regarded as one of North Africa’s more stable countries, but authorities have struggled to contain Islamist terrorists who periodically attack the security forces.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the March 20th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.