CAIRO: The militant group Daesh or Islamic State on Sunday claimed responsibility for an attack on tourists in Afghanistan’s central Bamiyan province
The terrorist group in a statement on its Telegram channel said that its fighters shot at Christian tourists and their companions with machine guns in the mountainous city of Bamiyan.
Spain’s foreign ministry said on Friday three Spanish tourists were killed and at least one was wounded in the attack.
Spokesperson for the Afghan interim interior ministry Abdul Mateen Qaniee said four people had been arrested over the attack in which gunmen opened fire.
In addition to the three foreign tourists, one Afghan national had also been killed in the attack. Four foreigners and three Afghans were also wounded, he added.
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Bamiyan mountainous region is home to a UNESCO world heritage site and the remains of two giant Buddha statues that were destroyed by the Taliban during their previous rule in 2001.
Since taking over power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have vowed to restore security and encourage a small but growing number of tourists into the country. They have also sold tickets to visit the site of the destroyed Buddha statues.
Friday’s attack was among the most serious targeting foreign nationals since foreign troops left and the Taliban took over in 2021.
The Islamic State also claimed an attack that wounded Chinese citizens at a hotel popular with Chinese businessmen in Kabul in 2022.
