Port El Kantaoui: Tunisia weighed new security measures on Sunday as it scrambled to secure its vital tourism sector after 38 people were killed at a seaside resort in the worst jihadist attack in its history.
The country's National Security Council was to meet later today after authorities vowed to ramp up security following Friday's attack targeting tourists, which saw at least 15 Britons killed.
After an emergency meeting late yesterday, Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli promised new steps to ensure the "protection of Tunisia's tourist sites and beaches by armed police units".
"We can no longer refrain from taking difficult measures," Gharsalli said in a statement carried by Mosaique FM radio, adding that at least 1,000 members of security forces would be involved in securing tourist sites.
Authorities had earlier announced plans to deploy armed security officers along the coast and inside hotels from July 1 and to shut down 80 mosques accused of inciting extremism.
The attack saw a Tunisian student disguised as a tourist pull out a Kalashnikov rifle hidden in a parasol and open fire on beachgoers at the Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel in Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse south of the capital Tunis.
Witnesses have described scenes of sheer terror, with the gunman mowing down screaming tourists as many ran for their lives.
One Tunisian witness said the gunman had only targeted tourists, telling locals: "Stay away, I didn't come for you."
Tunisian authorities have so far identified 18 of those killed as 14 Britons, a German, a Belgian, a woman from Ireland and another from Portugal.
Health officials have said identification of the bodies is taking time as many of the victims were not carrying ID at the beach.
The attack was Britain's worst loss of life in a jihadist attack since the 2005 London bombings. Britain has said at least 15 of its citizens were confirmed dead and warned that the toll is likely to rise.
