Ben
A gun attack near the oldest synagogue in Africa, on the Tunisian island of Djerba, resulted in the deaths of two visitors and two security guards. The incident occurred during the annual pilgrimage to the island, which attracted Jewish visitors from Europe and Israel.
The attacker, a security guard, reportedly killed his partner before shooting visitors and security personnel near the synagogue. His motive remains unclear. Among the casualties was a French national, while four other visitors and five members of the security forces were injured. It is uncertain whether the victims were pilgrims visiting the Ghriba synagogue. A video posted online, which has not been independently verified, showed visitors fleeing as gunshots echoed in the background.
According to local organizers cited by the AFP news agency, over 5,000 Jews took part in the 2022 pilgrimage to Ghriba. This ancient synagogue, which is over 2,500 years old, has been previously targeted, as in 2002 when al-Qaeda militants claimed responsibility for a bomb attack that killed over 20 people on the island. Since then, the annual pilgrimage to Djerba, near the capital, Tunis, has had heightened security measures. Tunisia is a predominantly Muslim country, but Djerba is home to hundreds of Jews.
_
Source: Omanghana.com
