Jewish pilgrims avoid Tunisia

Security concerns and threats from some Salafi Islamists kept thousands of Jewish pilgrims away from the annual Lag B'Omer celebration on the Tunisian island of Djerba this week. No more than 500 pilgrims attended the religious festival celebrated a month after Passover at one of Africa's oldest synagogues on Wednesday and Thursday. Israel issued a travel advisory urging its citizens ahead of the festival to "avoid" visits to Tunisia this year, citing information suggesting they might come under attack.