Australian injured in deadly Bamyan, Afghanistan shooting

An Australian tourist has been injured in a deadly shooting incident in central Afghanistan.

Three foreign tourists and an Afghan were killed when gunmen opened fire in the city of Bamyan on Friday night, the country’s Interior Ministry said.

“Unfortunately, this evening in the Bamyan city, there was a shooting against the public, in which three foreigners including one Afghan were killed and four foreigners including three Afghans were injured,” Interior Ministry spokesman Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani said on social media platform X.

“The security forces started trying to find the killers, and so far, four people have been arrested in this case.

Qani Bamyan Statement “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns this accident, expresses its deep feelings to the families of the victims and assures that all the criminals will be found and punished, hopefully.”

An Australian tourist was one of the foreigners injured.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez took to X to express his heartbreak at the killing of his compatriots.

“Overwhelmed by the news of the murder of Spanish tourists in Afghanistan,” he said.

“The consular emergency unit of the (foreign affairs ministry) is working to offer all necessary assistance.”

The Taliban, an authoritarian Islamist regime, gained control of Afghanistan after the US withdrew from the country in 2021.

Australia does not have formal diplomatic ties with the new government.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman confirmed with NewsWire the department was providing “consular assistance to an Australian man in Afghanistan”.

“Owing to our privacy obligations we cannot provide further comment,” the spokesman said.

DFAT states on its website its ability to provide assistance in Afghanistan is “severely limited” at present.

Bamyan is a UNESCO heritage listed area known for two giant Buddhist statues that were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

“Carved into the Bamiyan Cliffs are the two niches of the giant Buddha statues (55m and 38m high) destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 and numerous caves forming a large ensemble of Buddhist monasteries, chapels and sanctuaries along the foothills of the valley dating from the 3rd to the 5th century C.E.,” UNESCO states.

“In several of the caves and niches, often linked by galleries, there are remains of wall paintings and seated Buddha figures.”