Interior ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui has told reporters that the assault was by “two or more terrorists armed with Kalashnikovs”, AFP reports
He said there were about about 100 tourists inside the museum at the time of the attack but the majority were evacuated.
Aroui would not confirm reports of a hostage taking inside the museum, but added “there is information according to which there are still tourists” in the building.
President Beji Caid Essebsi is to make a public statement to the nation, spokesman Moez Sinaoui told AFP, while Prime Minister Habib Essid is meeting with the interior and defence ministers.
Ahmed Rouissi gained the nickname of the “black box of terrorism.” The information on his death was made public by security officials giving testimony in parliament and cited by the official TAP news agency.
Guardian Middle East reporter Kareem Shaheen reports:
Pro-Isis twitter accounts are hailing the attack as “ghazwat Tunis” or the “raid of Tunis” (ghazwa is the description given to the early Islamic battles) and are cheering on the attackers.
This is an apparent Isis video from last December threatening Tunisia:
It starts with:
My message to the tyrants of Tunisia and its soldiers, the weapons are between us. We have faced you in Tunisia, and know your cowardice.
It claims political assassinations in Tunisia, and calls on the state to avoid taking part in democratic elections.
Abu Mohammed al Tunisi, one of the fighters in the video, says:
I swear we will come to you with explosives, with weapons, with the Kalashnikov, with IEDs. We will destroy your thrones, by God, we will not be silent while our hearts have faith, we will raise the flag of tawhid (monotheism) above your thrones.
We are still in the dark about the identitity of the gunmen but according to some estimates there are more Tunisians fighting for Islamic State (Isis) than combatants from any other single country, prompting fears about what they might do on their return.
The Tunisian interior ministry says seven foreigners and one Tunisian have been shot dead in an attack at the Bardo museum in Tunis.
A spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui, told Shems FM radio station that two “terrorists” were surrounded at the museum, famous for its collection of of Roman mosaics.
He was unable to confirm reports that tourists visiting the museum had been taken hostage or that the gunmen were dressed in military uniforms.
The museum is adjacent to the national parliament building which was evacuated after the shooting.
Tunisia has struggled with violence by Islamic extremists in recent years, including some linked to the Islamic State group.