Tunisia: 1,000 arrests and 15,000 prevented from leaving in counter-terrorism operations

Tunisia authorities have arrested 1,000 people and banned a further 15,000 from leaving the country in the wake of two terror attacks in the country.

Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said the suspects were detained as part of the counter-terrorism operation in the wake of the shooting at the Bardo museum in March, which left 22 people dead, and the recent Sousse beach shooting that killed 38 people, including 30 Brits.

The announcement arrived a week after a state of emergency was declared in Tunisia following the Sousse shooting and after the British Foreign Office urged all remaining Brits to leave Tunisia immediately as intelligence suggests a further terrorist attack is "highly likely".

Speaking to members of the National Assembly, Essid said that "1,000 terrorists had been detained and 15,000 persons prohibited from leaving the country to reach conflict zones" since the attack of the Bardo Museum on 18 March, reported AFP.

Tunisia also recently announced plans to build a 105 mile (168km) wall along its border with Libya in order to stop insurgents from their "anarchic" neighbours from entering the country.

The gunman who killed 38 people on 26 June in the Sousse is believed to have trained in Libya, as well as those responsible for a the shooting at the museum in March. The Islamic State (Isis) claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Thomas Cook said it is cancelling all flights to Tunisia until at least 31 October following the advice from the Foreign Office and has put on additional flights back to the UK in order to bring any British people home "as safely and as soon as possible".

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "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.

"The Tunisian investigation into those behind the Sousse attack and that on the Bardo museum earlier this year is ongoing and the Tunisians have made clear they want to track down further individuals who they suspect may have links to this attack.

"While we are working with the Tunisian authorities to further strengthen those measures, we judge that more work is needed to effectively protect tourists from the terrorist threat.

"Taking all these factors together we judge it is right and prudent to make this change. We have not taken this decision lightly but our first priority will always be the safety of our citizens.

"In the days and weeks ahead, we will continue to keep the situation under close review and to work with the Tunisians to further understand the threat and to strengthen their security response to it."