Britain's advice that tourists should leave Tunisia because of the risk of another terror attack will "have repercussions", the country's prime minister has said. Habib Essid said he would telephone David Cameron on Friday to respond to Foreign Office advice that the North African nation was unsafe for holidays. Tunisia's ambassador to London has already warned Britain is playing into the hands for terrorists with the new threat warning, which is likley to devastate the Tunisian tourist industry. Mr Essid said: "We will ring the British prime minister to tell him we have done everything we can to protect all British interests and those of others countries - that's out duty." "Britain is free to take whatever decision it likes - it's a sovereign country - but we too are a sovereign country and we have a position to take." He did not elaborate on what that position might be but he told politicians that the British decision would "have repercussions." The comments came as Tunisian forces killed five jihadists in mountain region, according to a security source. The jihadists were killed in clashes in the mountains near the central town of Gafsa, the source said on Friday. Britain's largest travel association, ABTA, said the 3,000 or so British tourists currently in Tunisia would be flown home as soon as possible.The Government is playing into the hands of terrorists by evacuating thousands of Britons from Tunisia, the country's ambassador has warned. The Foreign Office urged UK tourists to leave immediately and warned against all but essential travel to the country following intelligence a terrorist attack is "highly likely". Heeding the Government's new alert, British tourists began their return home at Enfidha International airport in Tunis on Friday morning. It comes a fortnight after 30 Britons were among 38 tourists killed on the beach in Sousse by gunman Seifeddine Rezgui. Terror group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The new advice is another hammer blow for the Tunisian tourist industry and has sparked fears it could play into the hands of extremists in the North African country. Tunisia's foreign minister said on Friday his government would focus on trying to convince London to reverse its position. In Paris, meanwhile, the foreign ministry said it would not urge French nationals to leave Tunisia, but was warning people to be "particularly vigilant". Denmark also advised its citizens to leave Tunisia, saying there was a "high risk" of another attack. "If you are in Tunisia and do not have essential reasons for being there, you are advised to leave," the Danish foreign ministry said. "There is a high risk of terrorist attacks against Western targets in Tunisia and at tourist attractions, public buildings, near security agencies and in places where large crowds are gathered," it said. Everything we know so far about the British victims Nabil Ammar, Tunisian ambassador to the UK, told BBC Two's Newsnight: "This is what the terrorists want. "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. "Hotels have to close and this is an important industry. "One of the sources of terrorism is lack of hope. It is not the only motor of it but it is one of the very important origins." Extra flights have been laid on to evacuate up to 3,000 British package holidaymakers and 300 independent travellers believed to be in Tunisia. Tourists will begin to be flown out of the country this morning. The Sousse beach massacre came just months after 22 people, mostly tourists, were killed at the National Bardo Museum outside Tunis in March. 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." Following the Government's warning, Thomson and First Choice immediately cancelled all flights to Tunisia for the summer season. They added that "as a precautionary measure we have taken the decision to repatriate all British Thomson and First Choice staff currently working in Tunisia within the next 24 hours". Thomas Cook, which cancelled all future bookings to Tunisia up to October 31, said it is putting on an extra flight today to bring its customers back to the UK. The returning holidaymakers will touch down in Manchester as some of the funerals of the Britons killed in Sousse take place. Family and friends of Jim and Ann McQuire, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, will say their final farewells at a service at Abronhill church in their home town this afternoon. Tunisia has announced plans to build a barrier along the border with Libya - including fencing, a sand wall, trenches and surveillance posts - to keep out extremists following recent terror attacks. Holidaymakers should contact their tour operators about returning to Britain and independent travellers should make their own arrangements to leave, the Foreign Office said. A Thomas Cook spokesman said: "The safety and well-being of our customers is our primary concern. "In response to the recent change in FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) advice we have taken this decision to bring all Thomas Cook customers back to the UK as soon as we can using third party carriers and on our ten scheduled flights over the weekend.
