Afghanistan Shooting 3 Spanish Tourists Among 6 Killed

Post by : Elena Malik

Photo : AFP

On Friday, a group of tourists was attacked while walking through a bazaar in the mountainous city of Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) from Kabul. The attack resulted in the deaths of three Spanish tourists and three Afghans. The bodies, along with several wounded individuals, were transported to the capital. The Taliban government confirmed the incident on Saturday.

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"All dead bodies have been shifted to Kabul and are in the forensic department, and the wounded are also in Kabul. Both the dead and wounded include women," said Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the government's interior ministry, speaking to AFP. "Among the eight wounded, four are foreigners, with only one elderly foreign woman in a critical condition."

Qani noted that the casualties included two Afghan civilians and one Taliban member. A diplomatic source told AFP that the foreign nationals had been part of a 13-member organized tour group. All members, along with the wounded, were evacuated to Kabul overnight by road due to adverse weather conditions preventing an airlift.

The Spanish government confirmed on Friday that three of the deceased were Spanish tourists, with at least one other Spanish national wounded. "Overwhelmed by the news of the murder of Spanish tourists in Afghanistan," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed on social media platform X. The bodies are expected to be repatriated to Spain by Sunday, as stated by Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, on Spanish public television TVE. He also mentioned that one of the wounded had already undergone surgery in Kabul.

Following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in 2021, the Spanish embassy was evacuated along with other Western missions. Spanish authorities are now coordinating with an EU delegation in the capital. "They will remain on the ground until all the bodies are repatriated and the last Spaniard leaves Kabul," Albares assured. According to hospital sources in Bamiyan, the wounded include individuals from Norway, Australia, Lithuania, and Spain.

Interior ministry spokesman Qani added, "They were roaming in the bazaar when they were attacked." Seven suspects have been arrested, one of whom is wounded. "The investigation is ongoing, and the Islamic Emirate is seriously looking into the matter." The exact number of shooters involved remains unclear.

The European Union condemned the attack "in the strongest terms." The UN mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, expressed being "deeply shocked and appalled by the deadly terrorist attack" in Bamiyan and mentioned that it was providing assistance following the incident.

The Taliban government, while yet to be officially recognized by any government, has supported a fledgling tourism sector. Official figures indicate that over 5,000 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan in 2023. However, Western nations advise against all travel to the country due to risks of kidnapping and attacks, with tourists often lacking consular support.

In addition to security concerns, Afghanistan faces challenges with limited road infrastructure and a dilapidated health service. Despite these issues, multiple foreign tourism companies offer package tours to Afghanistan, including visits to cities such as Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Bamiyan. Bamiyan, Afghanistan's top tourist destination, is renowned for its turquoise lakes and striking mountains. It was once home to the giant Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 during their previous rule.

While the number of bombings and suicide attacks in Afghanistan has significantly decreased since the Taliban's takeover, deadly attacks on foreigners are rare. Nonetheless, armed groups like the Islamic State continue to pose a threat, targeting foreign interests in an attempt to destabilize the Taliban government. Their attacks have included assaults on the Pakistani and Russian embassies and Chinese businessmen.

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