Two gunman dead following attack that killed 19 at Tunisian museum

Tunisian authorities are still searching for three suspects on the run after gunmen attacked a museum, killing 19 people and wounding 22. Two gunmen and one law enforcement officer were killed in a shootout during a security raid.

The gunmen opened fire Wednesday at Tunisia’s largest museum, the National Bardo Museum. Seventeen foreign tourists are reported among the victims, but the U.S. State Department confirmed that no Americans had been killed in the attack.

Authorities have not determined whether the attackers could be connected to the Islamic State or another terrorist group.

“There have been no claims of responsibility, so we’re not going to draw any conclusions at this point,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said at a press conference.

Tunisia, a small democratic African nation bordered by Algeria and Libya, has been trying to combat extremism but has seen a large number of its citizens join the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Some estimates place the number of Tunisians who have joined the terrorist group at 3,000 — one of the highest numbers in the region.

Experts say the current chaos in next-door Libya could spill across the border as well.

Tunisian security surrounded the museum after the gunmen opened fire. The nation’s parliament building, which is only a short way from the museum, was also evacuated.

“Our nation is in danger,” Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said. “We will be merciless in the defense of our country.”

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said extremists were likely specifically targeting the North African democracy.

“It is not by chance that today’s terrorism affects a country that represents hope for the Arab world,” Mr. Fabius said. “The hope for peace, the hope for stability, the hope for democracy. This hope must live.”

Tunisia’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign tourism and foreign visitors. The museum that was attacked houses one of the world’s largest collections of ancient Roman mosaics.

And film buffs may recognize it as the place where “Star Wars” filmed scenes on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s home planet.