BREAKING: At least 8 people, believed to be tourists, were killed by armed men that stormed into a popular museum in Tunisia where about 100 Italian tourists were visiting, Al Jazeera reported.

Of the eight fatalities, only one has been confirmed to be a Tunisian, said Interior Ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui.

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The nationalities of the other victims have not been revealed but sources said there were at least 100 Italian tourists inside National Bardo Museum when militants armed with machine guns started shooting and have taken several more hostages.

News coverage by television crew showed several people getting out of the museum from the back door, while heavily-armed policemen and armed civilians were providing security.

Video footage showed elderly men and women, others limping, and children being carried by their parents hurriedly moving out of the museum.

On the second floor window, several other people, believed to be tourists, were seen although there was no sign of the armed militants.

The identities of the attackers have not been known yet but sources said the the armed militants were wearing military-style clothing.

Tunisia has immediately formed a crisis unit to solve the hostage taking while another report said an anti-terror unit has been deployed inside the museum in an attempt to free the other hostages.

TagsTunisia Museum, Tunisia Hostage Taking