International Crisis Group

Tunisia attack highlights regional security challenges|  Tom Kutsch

The attack by masked gunmen at the Bardo Museum in Tunis, Tunisia’s capital, that killed 19 people on Wednesday underlines the difficult path faced by a country in full democratic transition, as it navigates the twin threats of domestic insecurity and spillover from regional conflicts.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the immediate impact to the country, beyond the individual loss of life, was palpable.

“The Bardo attack is dangerous because it comes at a time when Tunisia’s democratic system remains new and potentially fragile,” said Anthony Dworkin, a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “On the one hand, the country has succeeded impressively in overcoming political divisions and a disastrous regional context in the last two years. On the other hand, an attack like this threatens the transition at precisely its points of vulnerability.”

FULL ARTICLE (via Al Jazeera America)

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Source: Al Jazeera America