Gunmen stormed Tunisias national museum near its parliament on Wednesday, killing 22 people and taking others hostage inside the building.
According to a press statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, although no Indonesian citizens were victims of the terrorist acts, Indonesia still condemned the attack and affirmed that it would support the transitional process towards democracy and economic recovery in Tunisia.
"The Indonesian government offered condolences and its deepest sympathies to the government and the people of Tunisia and the families of the victims," noted the press statement.
Indonesian citizens in Tunisia have been urged to remain vigilant while carrying out their daily activities, especially in crowded places that could become the targets of terrorist acts.
Reuters stated that the attack on such a high-profile target is a huge blow to the small North African country that relies heavily on European tourism and has, so far, avoided major militant violence since its 2011 uprising to oust autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.
Tunisian authorities did not divulge any details on the nationalities of the hostages. If any foreigners were killed, Wednesdays assault would be the worst attack involving them since an al-Qaeda suicide bombing on a synagogue killed 21 people on the tourist island of Djerba in 2002.
An official at the Italian foreign ministry in Rome noted that two Italians had been wounded in the attack, but it was not clear whether they were among the hostages.
About 100 other Italians were in the area and had been moved to safety by the Tunisian police, authorities added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
