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Gunmen killed an Afghan citizen and three Spanish tourists in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan, on Friday evening, according to the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior Affairs. The attack also left four foreign nationals and three Afghans injured, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed.
The Taliban government condemned the attack, with Qani stating, “We express our deep feelings to the families of the victims and assure that all the criminals will be found and punished.” Four suspects have been arrested, but no group has claimed responsibility.
Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the deceased foreigners were Spanish citizens. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences and pledged consular support for those affected.
Bamyan, a major tourist destination, is known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site and the remains of two giant Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The region has seen a modest increase in tourism since the Taliban regained control in 2021.
The European Union condemned the attack, extending thoughts to the victims’ families and the injured. The injured include citizens from Spain, Lithuania, Norway, and Australia. Medical sources reported that all patients are stable, though the Afghan national was critically injured.
Notably, in 2022, an attack claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) injured several Chinese citizens at a hotel in Kabul. Despite a general improvement in security, various armed groups, including ISIL, remain active threats in Afghanistan.
