At least three people were killed after a security guard began shooting near a synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba, said the interior ministry on Tuesday.

The attacker was also dead.

According to the Tunisian Foreign Ministry, the Ghriba Synagogue visitors killed were a 30-year-old person from Tunisia and a 42-year-old person from France.

The third death was a security guard killed by the attacker, who was also a security guard.

The interior ministry said late on Tuesday, the attacker killed his colleague, seized ammunition and then opened fire randomly at security posts near the synagogue, where pilgrims are currently visiting. 

Security guards fired back, killing the attacker, the ministry said.

Four civilians and five security personnel were also injured.

The ministry said the synagogue was cordoned off, and an investigation is underway to determine why this “treacherous and cowardly attack” occurred.

The synagogue was hosting the festival for the Jewish holiday Lag Baomer, attended annually by many Jewish locals and pilgrims from Israel, France and other countries.

Lag Baomer, the Jewish festival of joy, traditionally interrupts the mourning period between Passover, commemorating the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery, and the harvest festival of Shavuot.

According to Israeli media reports, around 1,000 people were in the house of worship during the attack. 

Extra tight security is in place during the festival every year.

Videos on social media appeared to show panicked people running through a neighbouring building to the synagogue while gunshots were heard.

According to the Jewish community, only 1,800 Jews live in Tunisia, mostly in Djerba.

In the middle of the 20th century, there were still 100,000 Jews in Tunisia.

In 2002, a suicide attack targeted the synagogue, leaving 21 dead, including 14 German tourists.

In 2015, the North African country saw a string of attacks that hit the tourism industry – its main source of income. Most of the attacks were claimed by extremist militia. 

(dpa/NAN)