Tunis attack: Gunmen kill tourists in museum raid

At least seven foreign tourists and a Tunisian have been killed after gunmen targeted a museum in the Tunisian capital, officials say.

British, Italian, French and Spanish nationals were among those taken hostage, local radio reported.

The shooting happened at the Bardo Museum, which is next to the parliament building in central Tunis.

At the time of the attack deputies were discussing anti-terrorism legislation. Parliament has now been evacuated.

"A terrorist attack [targeted] the Bardo Museum," interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui told journalists.

He said that the attack involved "two or more terrorists armed with Kalashnikovs".

Most tourists were evacuated but some were still believed to be inside, Mr Aroui said, adding that security forces had entered the museum.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that the attackers had taken hostages.

"I condemn this terrorist attack in the strongest terms... we are very alert about how the situation is evolving," he added.

Eyewitness Yasmine Ryan told the BBC there was "a growing crowd" of at least 500 people outside the museum.

"There's helicopters flying overhead and we just saw tanks rolling in," she said.

The Bardo museum, renowned for its collection of antiquities, is a major attraction in Tunis.

Tourism is a key sector of Tunisia's economy, with large numbers of Europeans visiting the country's resorts.

In 2002, 19 people, including 11 German tourists, were killed in a bomb blast at a synagogue in the resort of Djerba. Al-Qaeda said it had carried out that attack.

Concerns about security in Tunisia have increased in recent months as neighbouring Libya has become increasingly unstable.

A large number of Tunisians have also left to fight in Syria and Iraq, triggering worries that returning militants could carry out attacks at home.

BBC