Britain’s Foreign Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel to Tunisia on Thursday, telling Britons to leave the North African country and warning that further terrorist attacks were “highly likely” there.
Thirty Britons were killed by an Islamist gunman in Tunisia on June 26, the worst loss of British lives in such an incident since bombings in London in July 2005.
The FCO said it was working with tour operators including Thomas Cook and TUI Travel, to bring holiday-makers back to the UK.
British authorities did not believe that the security measures put in place in Tunisia were sufficient to keep tourists safe, Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said in a statement.
“Since the attack in Sousse the intelligence and threat picture has developed considerably, leading us to the view that a further terrorist attack is highly likely,” he said.
Britain had already said Islamist militants could launch further attacks on tourist resorts.
Thomas Cook said in a statement on Thursday it was working to bring home 2,000 British and Irish guests currently at its resorts in Tunisia on 10 flights scheduled for the weekend.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)