At least seven people, including five foreign tourists, were injured on Thursday in a Taliban ambush while traveling in a convoy with police protection near the northwestern city of Herat, considered one of the safest areas in the country, an official source told EFE.
The attack took place shortly before noon local time on a convoy carrying 11 tourists that was heading from Herat to Chisht-e-Sharif district, known for its dolmens, provincial governor spokesperson Jailani Farhad told EFE.
"They were caught in an ambush by armed Taliban and a confrontation took place. Due to a mine explosion, between five tourists were slightly injured," Farhad said.
Spokesperson for the Afghan army in Herat, Najibullah Najibi, told EFE that the five British, American, German, and Irish nationals who received minor injuries are now safe and will move to Herat under military protection.
Najibi explained that the convoy was carrying police personnel when it was attacked and that the military came to their aid as soon as it happened.
Herat is one of the safest cities in Afghanistan and attracts tourists interested in its sufi culture and the citadel of Alexander the Great or Qala Iktyaruddin.
Afghanistan is experiencing one of its bloodiest phases since the conflict began in 2001, with 5,166 civilian deaths and injuries in early 2016 - 4 percent, or 4,982, more than the same period last year - according to data from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
The insurgents have also increased their presence in northern areas of the country, which are outside of their historical scope of control in the south where the Taliban movement emerged in the 1990s.
EFE/EPA
4/8/16
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Related:
The attack took place shortly before noon local time on a convoy carrying 11 tourists that was heading from Herat to Chisht-e-Sharif district, known for its dolmens, provincial governor spokesperson Jailani Farhad told EFE.
"They were caught in an ambush by armed Taliban and a confrontation took place. Due to a mine explosion, between five tourists were slightly injured," Farhad said.
Spokesperson for the Afghan army in Herat, Najibullah Najibi, told EFE that the five British, American, German, and Irish nationals who received minor injuries are now safe and will move to Herat under military protection.
Najibi explained that the convoy was carrying police personnel when it was attacked and that the military came to their aid as soon as it happened.
Herat is one of the safest cities in Afghanistan and attracts tourists interested in its sufi culture and the citadel of Alexander the Great or Qala Iktyaruddin.
Afghanistan is experiencing one of its bloodiest phases since the conflict began in 2001, with 5,166 civilian deaths and injuries in early 2016 - 4 percent, or 4,982, more than the same period last year - according to data from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
- Since the end of the NATO combat mission in late 2014, the Taliban have been gaining ground in the country, taking control of nearly a third of Afghan territory, according to data from the United States.
The insurgents have also increased their presence in northern areas of the country, which are outside of their historical scope of control in the south where the Taliban movement emerged in the 1990s.
EFE/EPA
4/8/16
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At least 10 foreign tourists were killed and five others wounded in an ambush attack in Afghanistan's western province of Herat on Thursday, a district governor said...
ReplyDelete"Two mini buses carrying foreign tourists were attacked by gunmen along a main road in Chishti Sharif District Thursday morning. As a result of the incident 10 people were killed and five others wounded," district governor Farhad Khadimi told Xinhua.
Details about the nationalities of the victims were not available immediately.
The governor said that the buses were travelling from central Bamyan province to Herat province, with Herat city as its capital, 640 km west of Kabul.
"Several travelers were rescued by security forces shortly after the incident. And an investigation was launched into the attack," Khadimi added.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/998371.shtml
4/8/16