Tunis, May 25 (IANS): A serviceman on Monday opened fire in a military barracks in Tunisia, killing at least three of his colleagues and wounding over 15 others, TAP news agency reported.

The gunman was shot dead in the incident which took place in the Bushusha barracks in Bardo.

Although the authorities did not provide any further information regarding the incident, spokesperson for the national defence ministry Colonel-Lieutenant Belhassen Oueslati said: "The situation is under control."

An anti-terrorist squad was called in and was checking the surroundings and the mosque near the barracks, the report said, adding that all the wounded people were admitted to the Tunis military hospital.

Oueslati earlier told radio Mosaique FM that nine people were wounded in the shooting, Xinhua news agency reported.

The assailant was not supposed to be carrying any weapon at the time of the attack, Oueslati said.

There has been no word on what prompted the soldier to fire at his colleagues.

Tunisia has conducted operations against suspected Islamist militants since March when two gunmen fired at tourists at the Bardo museum, killing 21 foreigners.

The site of Monday's shooting is not far from the museum.