Second Tunisia terror attack foiled

Five IS extremists shot dead, thousands flee the country

Tunisia 

Five Islamic extremists on the verge of carrying out another terrorist attack on holidaymakers in Tunisia were yesterday shot dead. The five men were killed by Tunisian Special Forces as thousands of Britons fled the North African country after a security alert.

Holiday companies started flying home 3,000 people yesterday after the Foreign Office warned that another IS attack was 'highly likely'. Security forces tracked down eight IS suspects believed to be about to launch another bloodthirsty attack on tourists, with five of the militants killed near the town of El Ktar.

The three others escaped and are still on the run, the Daily Mirror reported.

An intelligence source told the newspaper, “Tunisian Special Forces acted swiftly as the evacuation got under way to stop them launching another attack.”

Despite the foiled attack - just two weeks after 38 tourists, 30 British, were slaughtered in Sousse - many of the holidaymakers flown home said they felt the government had overreacted.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was forced to defend the decision, which he said was carefully considered and not a 'knee-jerk reaction'.

Some Britons on their way home said they felt safer in Tunisia than on home soil.

All 30 Britons killed by Rezgui last month were either Thomson or First Choice customers, and, as a result, the companies have no guests in Tunisia at the moment.

Following the Government's warning, Thomson and First Choice immediately cancelled all flights to Tunisia for the summer season. They added that 'as a precautionary measure we have taken the decision to repatriate all British Thomson and First Choice staff currently working in Tunisia within the next 24 hours'.

Between 2,500-3,000 British tourists are believed to be in Tunisia and around 300 independent travellers.

The timing of the change could lead to questions over why tourists have been allowed to carry on travelling to Tunisia for two weeks since the attack.

Anyone due to travel to Tunisia with the two companies this summer will be given the opportunity to amend their holiday free of charge or receive a full refund.

Thomas Cook has confirmed that it had cancelled all bookings to Tunisia up until October 31.