A Jewish pilgrimage is currently taking place on the Tunisian island of Djerba, and a local resident reported hearing gunfire in the area of a synagogue where the pilgrimage is taking place on Tuesday.
Mosaique FM, a Tunisian radio station, reported an exchange of gunfire on the island as well as the discovery of a shot police officer, but they did not specify whether or not the officer was discovered near the pilgrimage site.
There has been no official confirmation that the shooting occurred. Reuters was unable to confirm the authenticity of a video circulating on social media that purported to show people standing in a courtyard while the sound of a gunshot could be heard.
The annual pilgrimage to Africa’s oldest synagogue draws hundreds of Jews from Europe and Israel to the island of Djerba, a major vacation resort center off the coast of southern Tunisia and about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Tunis.
Since al-Qaeda terrorists detonated a truck bomb at the synagogue in 2002, the pilgrimage has been enhanced in security. The attack claimed the lives of 21 Western tourists.
Muslims are the majority. Tunisia is home to one of the most significant Jewish communities in North Africa. Even though their current population is less than 1,800 people, Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times.
