Man killed by Tunisian police after setting himself on fire

A man tragically set himself on fire outside the Grand Synagogue in Tunis on Friday evening, leading to his death and injuries to two others, authorities reported.

The incident occurred shortly after sundown, during the Sabbath prayers at the synagogue. The man, who was ablaze, approached a police officer, prompting a second officer to open fire to protect his colleague.

The Interior Ministry confirmed that the police officer and a passerby sustained burns and were rushed to the hospital. The identity of the man and his motive remain unknown. The ministry stated he had unspecified psychiatric disorders.

Historically, Tunisia was home to a vibrant Jewish community, though the population has dwindled to around 1,500 people today. The nation’s Jewish sites have previously been targets of violence.

In 2023, a national guardsman killed five people at the El-Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, and later that year, pro-Palestinian protesters vandalized a synagogue in El Hamma. Other incidents, such as an arson attack outside the Sfax synagogue, have also raised concerns.

This latest tragedy echoes Tunisia’s recent history of self-immolation protests. In 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi’s act of self-immolation sparked mass protests that eventually led to the fall of the country’s autocratic regime, igniting the Arab Spring across the region.

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