On June 27, four years and a day after the Sousse Beach attack, Tunisia suffered twin suicide bombings against security services at two different locations in the capital’s downtown district. Within hours, however, life returned to normal in the city. The government soon highlighted that tourism was unaffected—a far different outcome than the 2015 Sousse attack, which saw mass cancellations by would-be visitors and spurred President Beji Caid Essebsi to claim that “if similar attacks occur again, the state will collapse.”
The North African republic is now far more mature in dealing with security threats related to jihadism; no longer do officials express existential angst, whether legitimate or fear mongering. Compared to 2015, the state and the people were far better prepared to deal with the aftermath of the latest attacks. Yet the growing lack of transparency regarding terrorism arrests and the apparent links to past jihadist mobilizations should draw concern about Tunisia’s broader transition from authoritarian tendencies to democracy and rule of law.
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Also, if you haven’t seen, I did three detailed blog posts about this attack on my website that promotes my forthcoming book:
June 28, 2019: Details on the Two Attacks in Tunis
July 3, 2019: Mastermind of Last Week’s Attack, Ayman al-Samiri, Killed in Hay al-Intilaka
July 3, 2019: Ansar al-Sharia in Hay al-Intilaka
If you like this article and these posts please consider pre-ordering my forthcoming book Your Sons Are At Your Service: Tunisia’s Missionaries of Jihad.