A presidential source has told Reuters that the attack on a presidential guard bus that killed 12 in Tunisia was likely caused by a bomber detonating explosives inside the military vehicle.
The explosive attack on a Tunisian presidential guard bus happened along a major street in Tunisia’s capital Tunis on Tuesday.
Security and presidential sources have said it was not immediately clear whether an explosive had detonated inside the bus as it travelled along
Mohamed V Avenue.
The explosion happened when the bus was either outside or near the the former headquarters of the party of deposed President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, reports the BBC.
Security sources said the guards were boarding the bus to be taken to the presidential palace on the outskirts of the city when it blew up.
At least 12 guards were killed and 17 wounded, according to an Interior Ministry statement.
State of Emergency Declared After Bus Bombing
President Beji Caid Essebsi has reinstated a month-long state of emergency, temporarily giving the government more executive flexibility, security forces more powers, and restricting some civil rights.
The North African country had imposed a state of emergency after a gunman attacked a hotel, killing foreign tourists, in the beach resort of Sousse in June. It was lifted last month.
President Beji Caid Essebsi has canceled a trip to Europe and said Tunis would be placed under curfew until Wednesday 5 a.m. (0400 GMT).
Tunisia has suffered two major attacks this year targeting its tourism industry. A gunman killed 38 foreigners at a beach hotel in June and in March, gunmen killed 21 tourists in an attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis.
Islamic State claimed both attacks.
The army has also been fighting against another Islamist militant group in the mountains near the Algerian border. Militants have hit checkpoints and patrols in rural areas in the past.
(With inputs from Reuters)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)