Gunmen attacked a convoy in Afghanistan on Thursday, wounding at least five foreign tourists and their driver.
The convoy was passing through western Herat province, according to government officials. Jilani Farhad, a spokesperson for Heart’s governor, stated that the group included eight Britons, three Americans, and one German. Security forces were sent to the scene after the attack.
According to sources in Kabul, the group had traveled to Afghanistan with Hinterland Travel, a British tour operator. The company specializes in adventure tours to war-stricken countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. When promoted by the company, Afghanistan is described as being at the “cutting edge of adventure tourism, which in itself can offer benefits and progress.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said that the convoy, supposedly accompanied by security officials, was en route from Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan to Herat when it was attacked. They were travelling in the Chesht-e-Sharif district when militants began shooting at the convoy.
The attack ended around 1:30 PM local time. Colonel Michael Lawhorn, a coalition spokesperson, reported that the group was transported by Italian military helicopters to a NATO medical facility in Herat.
The Taliban has taken responsibility for the attack. Local sources have said the Taliban’s shadow governor in Chesht-e Sharif, Haji Abdurrahman, was responsible for the attack.
