Tunisia declares state of emergency after beach attack

A Tunisian special force officer and a policeman patrol the beach as tourists take part in a ceremony on July 3, 2015, in memory of those killed the previous week by a jihadist gunman in the popular resort of Port el Kantaoui.-AFP

In another firm response to the June 26 attack claimed by the Islamic State group that killed 38 foreign tourists, several officials were sacked, including the governor of the Sousse region where it took place.

The North African state, which has seen an exodus of tourists, has admitted its security services were unprepared for the seaside attack in Port El Kantaoui and that police were too slow to respond.