Thousands of British holidaymakers
are to be flown home from Tunisia following warnings that another
terrorist attack in the country is "highly likely".
Thirty Britons were killed in an attack in Sousse last month - and the Foreign Office has now urged all Britons to leave the country.
Extra security measures there did not provide "adequate protection", it said.
Tunisia has criticised the decision, with its ambassador to the UK saying it was "what the terrorists want".
Between
2,500 and 3,000 British package holidaymakers are believed to be in
Tunisia, as well as about 300 independent travellers.
The Association of British Travel Agents said its members aimed to bring customers home in the next 48 hours.
Security 'chaos'
A gunman killed 38 holidaymakers in the 26 June beach attack, prompting Tunisia to declare a state of emergency.
The Tunisian government also increased security in tourist areas, and announced plans for a wall along the border with Libya, to counter the terror threat.
Tunisia
believes gunman Seifeddine Rezgui trained with the Ansar al-Sharia
group in the neighbouring country, though the Islamic State group has
claimed the attack.
Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Rezgui, who was killed after the shooting spree.
The
UK government said there was no "specific or imminent" new threat but
intelligence had led officials to the view that a further terrorist
attack was "highly likely".
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said
the Tunisian investigation into the Sousse attack - and an attack in
March on the Bardo Museum near Tunis which left 22 dead, including one
Briton - was continuing and Tunisian authorities had "made clear they
want to track down further individuals who they suspect may have links"
to the attacks.
He said a security assessment in tourist areas
found more work was needed "to effectively protect tourists from the
terrorist threat".
But
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner said the gunman's associates
were believed to still be at large in Tunisia and, he said, were quite
likely to be looking for targets.
He added that at the time of
the attack some witnesses, including a former policeman, were convinced
they saw a second attacker.
He said the UK's decision was taken "reluctantly" but the intelligence of a threat was "overwhelming".
BBC
North Africa correspondent Rana Jawad, in the capital, Tunis, said
there seemed to be "chaos" between the various security structures in
Tunisia, adding many high level officials had been sacked since the
attack.
"It's very clear that there is a problem in that sector and a lack of trust between them," she said.
'Damage tourism'
Our
correspondent added there was "disbelief and devastation" over the
UK-issued alert among hotel staff, who now fear they could lose their
jobs as the tourism industry falters.
Nabil Ammar, the Tunisian
ambassador to the UK, said: "By damaging the tourism, by having
foreigners leaving the country, they damage the whole sector and put so
many people out of work and on the streets."
Media captionTunisian ambassador to the UK Nabil Ammar: "One source of terrorism is a lack of hope"
Tour operators Thomson and First Choice had already cancelled all flights to the country for the rest of the summer season.
The two firms have also decided to repatriate all their British staff currently working in Tunisia "within the next 24 hours".
Thomas
Cook, which has cancelled all future bookings to Tunisia until 31
October, said it was putting on an extra flight on Friday to bring
customers back to the UK.
A
Thomas Cook spokesman said customers would be flown back to the UK "as
soon as we can using third-party carriers and on our 10 scheduled
flights over the weekend".
Meanwhile, Monarch Airlines said it was
arranging to repatriate all customers in resorts back to the UK "as
soon as possible" in response to the fresh travel advice.
It comes as the funeral of two victims of the attack - Jim and Anne McQuire, from Cumbernauld - will be held in their home town later.
The
Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) said people due to travel
to Tunisia should contact the company they had booked through.
Travelling
to Tunisia now would be likely to invalidate travel insurance policies,
though most policies would provide cover for those already in the
country, Abta added.
"Those with holidays booked within the next
48 hours to Tunisia are advised to contact your travel company to
discuss available options," it said.
Are you a British national in Tunisia? Are you following the FCO's travel advice? Send your comments to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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