Armed Terror Attack at Afghan Tourist Site... 4 Dead Including Spanish Tourists

In Bamiyan, Afghanistan's largest tourist destination, four people, including three Spanish tourists, were killed and seven injured in an armed attack.

The site where the Bamiyan Buddhas, destroyed by the Taliban regime in 2001, once stood [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media, on the 17th (local time), armed assailants opened fire on tourists in central Afghanistan's Bamiyan. Afghan authorities announced that three Spanish tourists and one Afghan were killed. Additionally, four tourists from Spain, Norway, Australia, and Lithuania, along with three Afghans, were injured.

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that three Spanish tourists were killed and one was injured. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "I am shocked by the news that Spanish tourists were killed in Afghanistan." The European Union (EU) issued a statement expressing condolences and condemning the attack "in the strongest terms."

Afghan authorities stated that four armed assailants responsible for the incident were arrested, adding, "We strongly condemn this crime and will find and punish all perpetrators."

Bamiyan, where the incident occurred, is known for the large Buddha statues that were destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban regime, which ruled Afghanistan at the time and considered them idolatry forbidden in Islam. It is regarded as a popular tourist destination for foreign visitors in Afghanistan. Although foreign tourists sharply declined after the Taliban reoccupied the country in 2021, security has gradually improved, and the number of travelers is increasing again. The Taliban regime charges a $5 (approximately 6,777 KRW) entrance fee and allows visits to the site where the Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed. However, since most countries have withdrawn their embassies following the Taliban takeover, tourists cannot access consular services, prompting warnings from various governments.