Tourists Attacked In Afghanistan: Americans Among Injured in Rocket Attack, Taliban to Blame [VIDEO]
A group of tourists from the United States, the U.K. and Germany were injured as they traveled through the Herat province in Western Afghanistan on Thursday. The attack, which injured six people, has been claimed by the Taliban.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi has stated that it was the notorious terror group who was behind the attack. In a statement through a text message to journalists in the area, the Taliban spokesman explained why the group was attacked.
"The foreigners had come to Herat for a mysterious aim," Ahmadi stated.
Afghan Army spokesman Najibullah Najibi also spoke about the attack, stating that a rocket struck the van the tourists were traveling in at about 11 a.m. local time on Thursday. The group was about 16 miles away from the province's administrative center when the attack took place.
Among the injured were five tourists from America, Germany, Britain and Ireland. Their driver, an Afghan national, was also injured. Herat's district chief Farhad Khademi further stated that the five tourists who were injured were part of a group of 11 individuals.
The tourists were not traveling unarmed, either, as they were escorted by the Afghan Security Forces when the rocket struck their vehicle. Britain's foreign office has issued a statement about the incident, stating that the tourists were in the area for a humanitarian mission.
"We are providing assistance to British nationals involved in the attack in Herat and are in close contact with the local authorities," the office stated.
Afghanistan has been embroiled in a bloody conflict over the last few years, with many countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, issuing grave travel advisories for tourists attempting to enter the country.
Despite the dangers, however, people, especially those who are part of humanitarian organizations, still travel to the war-ridden country, in order to provide assistance.
