Sousse hit by terrorist attack (image via Michael Horowitz)

A hotel in the town of Sousse, Tunisia 144 kilometres to the south of the capital Tunis is alleged to have been attacked by one, possibly 2 gunmen according to security sources with unconfirmed reports of up to 38 dead. The resort is popular with both Tunisians and Europeans. The assault was said to be in the vicinity of the Imperial Marhaba hotel and there were reports of dead bodies lying on the beach and an unconfirmed image on social media purporting to show a man face down in the sand in what appears to be a pool of blood.

Amira Yahyaoui, who describes herself as “Human rights advocate and Founder @AlBawsalaTN – Yale World Fellow (proudly in Tunisia)” posted a series of tweets as the incident unfolded.

Fire exchange now inside the Imperial Park Hotel in Sousse, many people injured, no information about numbers of dead or injured.. #sousse

Second terrorist attack in Sousse in a year.. last one was in the beach with no casualties but the terrorist himself.

Terrorists entered the hotel through the beach, national media gives numbers between 6 and 13 dead so far.. #sousse

Confirmed : 2 hotels are attacked in Sousse (source MI spokesperson via @RadioMosaiqueFM )

Horrible .. Ministry of Interior spokesperson : 19 dead in the terrorist attack against 2 hotels in Sousse-Tunisia (via @May_Mouna )

In @RadioShemsFm and @Jawhara_FM Ministry of interior spokesperon gives the number of 27 dead in the sousse attack.

Beach at Sousse where attack took place (Image via Michael Horowitz)

Beach Sousse where 27 people are alleged to have been killed (Image via Michael Horowitz)

Michael Horowitz, Geopolitical and security analyst at a private security firm tweeted,

One gunman entered the Marhaba Imperial Hotel in #Sousse armed with a Kalashnikov, opened fire on tourists

Charles Lister, Visiting Fellow at Brookings Doha and author – The Syrian Jihad tweeted,

[Graphic] Attack at Hotel Riu Imperial in #Sousse reportedly by 1-2 gunmen w. assault rifle. Reports of 7-13 dead:

Alleged (? deceased) bodies on the beach, Sousse (Image, Charles Lister)

Charles Lister later tweeted,

Picture shows alleged 2nd gunman (1st killed: ) from #Sousse attack in #Tunisia after arrest: (Images could not be independently verified)

Alleged 2nd gunman Sousse (Image, Charles Lister) 

Earlier this year, the Bardo museum in Tunis was the scene of an earlier attack by gunmen in March 2015, an attack which was claimed by Islamic State, see link,

“Islamic State claim Bardo museum attack and Saana two temples attack in latest Dabiq publication”

https://activist1.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/islamic-state-claim-bardo-museum-attack-and-saana-two-temples-assault-in-latest-dabiq-publication/

However Tunisian authorities alleged the attack was linked to a local branch of Al Qaeda, Vice news reported,

“Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid announced that Khaled Chaieb, also known as Lokman Abou Sakhr, was killed in a dawn raid by the country’s national guard, according to state-run press agency TAP. Chaieb was the suspected leader of an al Qaeda branch called the Okba Ibn Nafaa Brigade.”

Thomas Cook, holiday company which has customers in the area gave the following statement reported by ITV.

“At this time, details are not clear as to which property(ies) have been affected, with conflicting news reports.

“We are currently gathering information and will provide an update as soon as possible. Our teams on the ground are offering every support to our customers and their families in the area.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, working closely with the FCO and local authorities.”

Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the government’s emergency committee group Cobra will meet this afternoon chaired by Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to address today’s terror incidents in France and Tunisia. Cameron condemned the attacks saying “this is a threat that faces all of us.”

There have been 2 other attacks today, a man was decapitated at a gas factory in eastern France with others injured and Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shia mosque in Kuwait during Friday prayers.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.