4 Killed, 9 Injured in Ghriba Synagogue Attack in Tunisia

A Tunisian naval guard killed four people, including two Jewish worshipers and two guards, in an attempted terrorist attack on the Ghriba Synagogue on the island of Djerba on Tuesday night, according to Tunisia’s Interior Ministry. The assailant killed a fellow naval guard, stole his firearm, and then headed to the synagogue. Security forces engaged the attacker in a shootout, resulting in the death of another security officer and two Jewish worshippers—a Tunisian-Israeli dual citizen and his cousin, a French national. The attacker was killed by security forces.

Nine others, including four civilians, were injured in the incident. The ministry refrained from referring to the shooting as a terrorist attack and said, “Investigations are continuing in order to shed light on the motives for this cowardly aggression.”

The Ghriba Synagogue, Africa’s oldest, hosts thousands of Jewish pilgrims annually during the Lag Ba’Omer holiday. Security is heightened during the event due to fears of antisemitic attacks. The synagogue was locked down during the attack, keeping those inside secure.

Rabbi Aharon Mazoz, a leader of Djerba’s Jewish community, said a larger massacre was prevented as the attacker did not enter the synagogue.

The incident may be connected to recent events in Israel, where the country braced for a response to the targeted killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in the Gaza Strip. Tunisia has a history of jihadist activity and anti-Jewish sentiment.