A hostage situation in a museum in Tunisia has ended after two gunmen were killed by security forces. Seven tourists and one local died during the attack, which took place in the building next to the parliament.
Local television reports the siege at the Bardo Museum in Tunis has come to an end after the gunmen were killed by Tunisian security forces. A government official stated that two militants have died, while one policeman lost his life. All the hostages have been freed.
Earlier, a spokesman for the Tunisian Interior Ministry, Mohammed al-Aroui, has confirmed that seven tourists have been killed during the attack, and one more victim is a Tunisian citizen. Unconfirmed reports suggest some of the tourists are from France, Spain and Italy.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry also says three Polish nationals have been injured in the attack. Earlier, Al Arabiya said eight wounded people have been taken out of the building.
The country’s ministry said there were at least two men armed with Kalashnikovs in the museum. The museum is part of the Bardo Palace, which is also home to the parliament. The parliamentary building has been evacuated as a precaution.
Unconfirmed images of hostages are circulating on the web. Geotags suggest they were taken inside the Bardo National Museum. Children can be seen in the photos, which were allegedly taken inside.
A security officer has reportedly entered the museum, with a picture on Facebook showing what looks like a soldier ushering the hostages towards an exit.
