An investigation was underway on Wednesday at the scene of an attack in central Tunis and a state of emergency has been declared for Tunisia.
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In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, Islamic State identified the bomber by the nickname Abu Abdullah Al Tunsi, or Abu Abdullah the Tunisian.
Reuters, citing unnamed government and security officials, said that the security officers had been boarding the bus at the time of the explosion and that the blast had probably been caused by a suicide bomber.
Tunisia’s prime minister Habib Essid spoke to reporters after an emergency security meeting on Wednesday.
Investigators are examining a 13th corpse to determine whether it was that of a civilian victim or a suicide attacker.
The attack on the bus killed 12 people as it was traveling through the capital Tunis.
The so called terror group, Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
The explosion, during rush hour in the city’s main avenue, was an attack, a presidential source said. In Egypt, terrorists stormed a hotel in the Sinai Peninsula city of Al-Arish, claiming at least seven lives. Only those with booked flights were allowed to enter the Tunis global airport. “He blew himself up just getting into the door of the bus with military explosives”, Hichem Gharbi, a presidential security official, told local Shems FM radio. He had on a coat and was wearing headphones.
Tunisia is the lone country that, after the Arab Spring uprisings, established a genuine democratic transition by adopting a new Constitution in 2013 and holding its first national presidential elections in 2014.
Based on everything that has been outlined so far, it is now clear, that the Islamist militants pose a serious challenge for the country, especially since tourism will likely decrease.
In the early chaotic days after its revolution, ultra-conservative Islamists gained ground, recruiting among young Tunisians and taking over mosques. Authorities claim at least 3,000 Tunisian nationals have gone to fight in the Syrian civil war.
The text goes on to say that the country “renews its solidarity towards the Tunisian people and government, whom, bravely and with a firm commitment to the values of dialogue and tolerance, are making important strides towards consolidating their institutions”.
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ISIS released a video earlier this year threatening to ramp up its campaign against Tunisia. It is also building a security wall along the border with lawless Libya to try to stop militants crossing over into its territory.
