Bus Explosion Tunisia: Terror Attack Kills Twelve, Presidential Guard Targeted, President Declares State Of Emergency And Curfew [Video]

A bus explosion in Tunisia on Tuesday is being called an act of terrorism. The bus that was attacked was carrying members of Tunisian’s presidential guard. The explosion killed 12 people who were riding on the bus while injuring up to 16 more. The president of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi, has called for a 30-day state of emergency and also has proclaimed an overnight curfew to be initiated in Tunisia. President Essebsi has joined France and Belgium in announcing on TV to the country that Tunisia is “at war with terrorism.” Essebsi also said, “I want to reassure the Tunisian people that we will vanquish terrorism.” On Wednesday morning, Essebsi called an emergency meeting with his security personnel.

Tunisia blast: Explosion hits bus carrying presidential guards – https://t.co/EASs21T5sp pic.twitter.com/0dbs9CqmOF

— Nehanda Radio (@NehandaRadio) November 24, 2015

Tunisia is bordered by Libya, which is an unstable country. Terrorist attacks in Tunisia are becoming common since the country has had to deal with two other terrorist attacks this year. The two attacks both dealt with gunmen opening fire and killing people. A total of 60 people were killed in the two attacks.

15 killed in blast on bus carrying Tunisian presidential guard members https://t.co/Xa8MZTTWDD

— serena hewitt (@ulybrath) November 24, 2015

No one has come forward to accept credit for the Tunisia bus explosion. Bassem Trifi was a witness to the explosion. He said that the drivers side of the bus was where the impact happened. He called it a “catastrophic spectacle.” Trifi commented further about the explosion.

“I saw at least five corpses on the ground. This was not an ordinary explosion.”

A few days before the explosion, the government of Tunisia went on a higher alert of security. Security forces had been increased throughout the country. It is not known if the government had any credible intelligence of a threat directed toward them. Tunisia was formerly a territory of France. The French Embassy increased their security as well due to the deadly terrorist attack by ISIS in Paris.

The Tunisians did discover and stop a terrorist cell earlier this month that was set for terror attacks on the police and hotels in the city of Sousse. Sousse is one of the largest spots for tourism in Tunisia.

The frequency of the terror attacks that have occurred this year have had a negative impact on the tourism industry that Tunisia depends on. One of the terror attacks that happened this year occurred at a hotel in Sousse. In the attack, 38 people were killed. The other terror attack that happened this year occurred at a museum close to Tunis. Twenty-two people were killed there.

Secretary of State John Kerry took a trip to Tunisia in early November and pledged that the United States would support Tunisia both economically and with security. During the trip by Kerry, he stated that the United States would expand the military support, sharing of intelligence, the potential use of drones, and to begin negotiations about a loan to the country from the United States.

Tunisia was one of the countries that was involved in the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring was a time of civil unrest throughout the Middle East. Civil wars raged and leaders of countries were removed. Tunisia is the only country that was involved in the Arab Spring to have since become a democracy after the civil rest ended. The fact that the country is a new democracy is the reason that the United States is giving the country support.

Who do you think will come out and take responsibility for bus explosion in Tunisia? Will the country see more terrorist attacks before the year is out? Which country do you think will be attacked next?

[Image Via Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images]