Gunmen storm Tunisia resort in deadly attack aimed at foreigners

A gunman killed at least 27 people at a resort in Tunisia on Friday, just hours after the Islamic State asserted responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing at a Kuwaiti mosque packed with Shiite worshippers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on a popular hotel in the Tunisian resort city of Sousse.

In March, Islamist gunmen believed linked to the Islamic State killed 22 people in a raid on a prominent museum in Tunisia’s capital, Tunis. The latest attack also appeared aimed at dealing a blow to Tunisia’s critical tourism industry.

Tunisia’s Interior Ministry said at least 27 people were killed in the Sousse bloodshed.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State claimed responsibility on Twitter account associated with the extremist-Sunni group for an attack on at the Imam Sadiq Mosque in Kuwait City during Friday prayers. Unconfirmed reports, citing local sources, said at least four people were killed.

The Kuwait attacks followed similar mosque blasts in neighboring Saudi Arabia targeting Shiite worshippers.

The Saudi attacks also were claimed by the Islamic State, whose Sunni followers view Shiites as apostates. Shiites are estimated to comprise a third of Kuwait’s population of 3.4 million.

Friday’s bombing in Kuwait occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when turnout at Friday prayers is generally higher than at other times of the year.