Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid announced on Saturday measures to intensify security after an attack on a holiday resort in which at least 37 people were killed.
Essid introduced plans to close within a week some 80 mosques not run by the state as a countermeasure for extremist attacks, saying the mosques incite violence. Army reservists would be deployed to archeological sites and resorts.
Authorities said most of the victims in Friday’s attack near Sousse were Britons. The gunman was shot dead, BBC reported.
He was identified as Seifeddine Rezgui, a student not previously known to authorities, officials said.
Eight Britons, one Belgian and one German were identified among the dead, the health ministry said. One citizen of the Irish Republic was also confirmed dead.
There were also thought to be Tunisians and French killed in the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State militant group. At least 36 people were injured, some seriously.
It was the second major attack on tourists in Tunisia since March, when militants killed 22 people, mainly foreigners, at Bardo Museum in the capital Tunis.
Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi said the country cannot stand up to the militant threat alone, calling for a unified global strategy.
“We note that Tunisia faces an international movement. It cannot respond alone to this. On the same day at the same time France has been the target of such an operation, and Kuwait too.
“This proves the need for a global strategy, and that all democratic countries must now join forces.”
