Nine arrested in Tunisia attack, death toll at 23

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is taking credit for the Tunisian terrorist attack that killed 23 people, according to media reports.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi messages, said in a post that ISIS called the attack the “first drop of the rain.”

The rest of the page is closed off to subscribers, but CBS News reported that ISIS claimed that “two knights of the State of the Caliphate” were responsible for the attack in an audio message. It adds that message, which was tweeted by an ISIS propaganda account, offered no proof of its claim.  

If the claims are true, the Tunisia attack becomes the latest attack by the terrorist group while its also fighting coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. It would be the first major attack in Syria, but associated militants have a presence in bordering Libya, where it briefly kidnapped medical workers. 

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that the White House can’t confirm the veracity of the claims, but said that the attack was “entirely consistent” with tactics ISIS has previously used.

Tunisian authorities have arrested nine people in connection with the attacks, according to ABC News, but it is unclear if any of those arrested have ties to ISIS.

“Four of the arrests were directly related to the attack, and five others were made under strong suspicion of relation to the attack,” Aida Klibi, a presidential spokeswoman, told ABC News.

The Tunisian prime minister’s office early Thursday upped the death toll to 23 as authorities continue to search the crime scene, according to The New York Times. Authorities found two Spanish tourists and a museum guard hiding inside the museum a day after the attack, unaware that the threat had ended.

Gunmen stormed the Bardo National Museum in the city of Tunis around noon on Wednesday, killing tourists and taking hostages. Authorities later stormed the museum and engaged in a firefight with the attackers. No terror group has publicly taken credit for the attacks.

The tragedy could have a serious impact on Tunisia’s tourism industry, as The Associated Press reported that an Italian cruise line announced it would no longer stop off in the country. And the attack came at a popular museum that holds a collection of ancient artifacts.

“The security of our guests and crew is Costa Crociere’s priority and a necessary condition for calm and pleasant vacations,” the company said in a statement.

Jordan Fabian contributed to this story.

This story was updated at 1:51 p.m.