Tunisia explosion: Police officer killed after two men blow themselves up at US embassy

Five officers and one civilian injured in attack carried out by two militants on motorbike

Two men have blown themselves up near the US embassy in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, killing one policeman and injuring several others, officials confirmed.

The Interior Ministry said the two militants died carrying out the attack and five policemen sustained injuries, while a civilian suffered minor injuries.

State news agency TAP reported the Interior Ministry as saying one of the security officers later succumbed to his injuries.

The US embassy said in a statement on Facebook: “Emergency personnel are responding to an explosion that occurred near the US embassy in Tunis. Please avoid the area and monitor local media for updates.”

Photos posted on social media show vehicles damaged from the explosion outside the embassy. A video posted on Twitter shows a number of police running towards the US embassy after the explosion went off.

A shopkeeper, Amira, told Reuters: “We heard a very powerful explosion, we then saw the remains of the terrorist lying on the ground after he went on the motorbike towards the police.”

The embassy is located in the Berges du Lac district, where a number of embassies for other countries also reside.

The British embassy in Tunis advised travellers in the area to “remain vigilant and follow the advice of the local security authorities”.

“The British embassy Tunis is in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of a suicide bombing near the US embassy in Tunis,” it said in a travel advisory update.

Tunisian police have cordoned off the area and the nearby American School of Tunis has been closed while they investigate.

Paramedics arrived at the scene to treat the wounded officers, said a witness in the area.

Tunisia is vulnerable to terrorist attacks, particularly its tourism industry which was devastated after two major attacks that killed scores of tourists at a beach resort and a popular museum in 2015.