Tunisian security chief fired after museum attack

Tunisia’s prime minister has fired five leading security officials after three gunmen attacked a Tunis museum, killing 21 in the deadliest attack on tourists in Tunisia in 13 years, the government said on Monday.
The ousted officials include the director of Tunisia’s tourist police and the police chief for the neighbourhood around the National Bardo Museum, government spokesperson Mufdi Mseddi said.
The decision was made after the prime minister visited the neighbourhood of the attack and noted security problems, the spokesperson said. President Beji Caid Essebsi had also criticised security failings around last week’s attack.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for attacking the museum, a trove of Roman mosaics and Tunisia’s leading historical museum.
Several well-armed groups in neighbouring and chaotic Libya have pledged allegiance to ISIS. Tunisia is also fighting extremists claiming allegiance to al-Qaeda in its western mountains.
A Tunisian defence official said on Monday one soldier was killed and three others wounded when a mine blew up their vehicle in a mountainous area known to be a refuge for al-Qaeda linked Islamic radicals.