The killing of three foreign tourists and three Afghan citizens in Bamyan province has sparked widespread domestic and international reactions. The United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Japan, Iran, and UNAMA have expressed concerns about the incident. The UK has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan. The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has also confirmed that six people, including three foreigners, were killed and seven others, including four foreign tourists, two of whom are women, were injured in a shooting by unknown armed individuals in the center of Bamyan province. Some officials from the previous government have condemned the incident. The former First Vice President stated that those who appoint Taliban fighters as their guards should expect such situations. Meanwhile, some residents of central Bamyan reported that the Taliban beat many civilians and arrested them unjustly following the incident. According to them, individuals affiliated with the Taliban are the main perpetrators of the event.
Local sources from Bamyan province told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that around 6:00 PM local time, foreign tourists were shot in the central market of Bamyan province. According to these sources, three Spanish citizens were killed, and one was injured in this incident. According to the information, three Afghan citizens were also among the victims.
Additionally, a video has been circulated on social media showing two people being placed in an ambulance at the Bamyan Provincial Hospital, with a crowd gathered at the scene of the incident.
According to the released information, an Australian citizen, a Norwegian citizen, a Lithuanian citizen, and a Spanish citizen were injured in this incident. Additionally, three Afghan citizens, who were associates of these foreign tourists, were among the injured.
Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, confirmed yesterday that six people were killed in the armed attack on foreign tourists in Bamyan province. He stated that three Spanish tourists and three Afghan citizens were among the dead. He also mentioned that seven individuals have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident.
As of the time this report was prepared, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Al-Mersad, a media outlet affiliated with the Taliban, claimed that a foreign intelligence agency orchestrated and executed the attack. According to Al-Mersad, this intelligence agency has a history of carrying out such assassinations in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, several residents of Bamyan province reported that the Taliban conducted house-to-house searches following the incident. During these searches, the Taliban allegedly beat and tortured residents. According to the residents, the Taliban arrested several people without any evidence, accusing them of involvement in the attack.
One Bamyan province resident, who wished to remain anonymous, stated, “Under the Taliban regime, there is no inquiry. Most Taliban members desire to kill foreigners. Perhaps this time, their people killed the foreign tourists because no one else had weapons, and people were too scared of the Taliban to even breathe. How can anyone walk around armed? It’s clear the perpetrators were their people.”
Meanwhile, Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, posted on social media that he was shocked by the news of the Spanish tourists’ deaths in Afghanistan. He expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims and added that he is closely monitoring the situation. The Spanish Foreign Ministry also reported that another Spanish citizen was injured in Bamyan province.
The killing of foreign tourists in Bamyan province has also drawn domestic and international reactions. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, calling it a “terrorist” act.
Amrullah Saleh, the former Vice President of Afghanistan, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page: “When a group of terrorists [Taliban security forces] are assigned as the protectors of international tourists, such a horrific event is to be expected.”
Furthermore, several foreign countries including the United States, European Union, and Britain have condemned the incident and expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and the wounded.
Thomas West, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page in response to this incident: “The United States is deeply affected by the shooting in Bamyan province, where Afghan civilians and foreign citizens were killed and injured, and violence is not the solution.”
Nasser Kanaani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, has called the killing of foreign tourists in Bamyan province a “terrorist act.”
The Japanese Embassy in Kabul has strongly condemned the attack on foreign tourists in Bamyan province. The embassy emphasized its solidarity with the families of the incident victims and stressed that violence must be stopped immediately.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also labeled this attack as terrorist. UNAMA stated that it was shocked by this attack. The organization added that it is assisting the victims of this incident.
Some residents of Bamyan province say that this incident should not be repeated. They emphasize that such incidents should be taken seriously and that local Taliban should not shirk their responsibility.
Some fearful residents who have experienced Taliban violence, without revealing their identities, say that the Taliban should not blame others for their responsibilities. According to them, the Taliban encourage foreigners to come to Afghanistan and showcase a peaceful situation.
Still, some social media users have described the armed attack on foreign tourists in Bamyan province province as concerning. They have stated that the Taliban’s claim to provide nationwide security in Afghanistan is “nothing but a lie.”
Reza Jafari, a user on the X social media page, wrote: “Bamyan province was the safest province in Afghanistan in the past 20 years, but this incident shows that the country’s security situation is deteriorating, and the risk of civil war and the spread of global terrorism activities is becoming more serious.”
Many users have said that the Taliban claim in the media, but foreign tourists and citizens of the country should not trust this group. According to them, a group that has killed people for over 20 years on charges of collaborating with foreigners will not let foreigners survive in their territory.
It is worth mentioning that this is the most serious and dangerous attack on foreign tourists in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control. Previously, the Taliban had invited many foreign YouTubers to Afghanistan and facilitated their travel to various cities in the country to show in the media and the minds of the world that the Taliban are not against freedom of speech.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
