HistoryData
war2015

2015 Sousse attack — mass shooting on 26 June 2015 in Tunisia

June 26, 2015

The deadliest non-state attack in modern Tunisian history, killing 38 people, mostly British tourists, at a beach resort.

Quick Facts

Year
2015
Category
war

Key Facts

Date
26 June 2015
Total killed
38 people
British nationals killed
30 people
Gunman
Seifeddine Rezgui
Location
Port El Kantaoui, ~10 km north of Sousse
Previous deadliest attack (2015)
Bardo National Museum attack, 22 killed

By the Numbers

26
Date
38people
Total killed
30people
British nationals killed
10
Location

Location

Map of Sousse, TunisiaMap of Sousse, TunisiaSousse, Tunisia

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Seifeddine Rezgui, a gunman with links to extremist networks, targeted a popular tourist resort at Port El Kantaoui, exploiting a security environment later criticised for slow police response. The attack came three months after the Bardo National Museum attack, indicating an escalating campaign of violence against Tunisia's tourism sector.

Event

On 26 June 2015, Rezgui opened fire on beachgoers and hotel guests at Port El Kantaoui, a resort north of Sousse. He killed 38 people, 30 of them British nationals, making it the deadliest non-state attack in modern Tunisian history and drawing immediate international condemnation.

Consequence

The Tunisian government acknowledged fault for a slow police response to the attack. The incident dealt a severe blow to Tunisia's tourism industry and prompted security reviews. It surpassed the Bardo National Museum attack as the country's deadliest terrorist incident and intensified global scrutiny of security measures at Tunisian tourist sites.

Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis

Side A

1 belligerent

Seifeddine Rezgui (attacker)
Peak Mobilized Forces1
Estimated Casualties1
Casualty Rate100.0%
Forces vs Casualties ratio
0CasualtiesMobilized
Key Commanders

Seifeddine Rezgui.

Side B

1 belligerent

Civilian tourists and bystanders
Estimated Casualties38
Total Casualties (all sides)
38
Outcome
38 civilians killed; attacker neutralised; Tunisian government acknowledged fault for slow police response

Timeline Context

Timeline around 201520152012201320142016201720182015 Copa América — 2015 edition of the Copa América association football competition2015 FIFA Women's World Cup — 2015 edition of the FIFA Women's World CupJanuary 2015 — month of 20152015 Formula One World Championship — 66th season of Formula One motor racing2015 AFC Asian Cup — international football competition2015 World Championships in Athletics — 2015 edition of the World Championships in Athletics2015 European Games — sport competition2015 Africa Cup of Nations — football championship of Africa2015-sousse-attack-mass-shooting-on-26-june-2015-in-tunisi-2015