Gunmen Kill at Least Four People at Afghanistan Picnic Spot

Attack in Herat Province Claims Lives

A deadly attack targeted civilians at a recreational site in western Afghanistan, leaving multiple casualties, according to officials and a local physician. The incident unfolded in the Enjil district of Herat province on Friday, with conflicting reports on the number of deaths. A Taliban interior ministry representative stated seven individuals were killed, while a provincial official reported four fatalities.

“Unidentified armed men on motorcycles opened fire near Deh Mehri village,” said a Taliban interior ministry spokesperson.

The area is typically bustling with activity on Fridays. A doctor from a Herat province hospital informed the BBC that the victims were Hazara Shia Muslims. He claimed the group had traveled to a local shrine for a picnic, providing a higher casualty count of 12 dead and 12 injured.

Ahmadullah Muttaqi, head of the Taliban’s provincial information and culture department, noted the attack happened around 15:00 local time (11:30 BST). “Residents in Deh Mehri village were shot while enjoying the weekend,” he said. Security forces arrested a suspect, he added, and four bodies, along with 15 wounded—including two women—were transported to the Herat regional hospital.

“In a terrorist attack, armed individuals targeted people at Deh Mehri village,” Muttaqi explained.

A Taliban official later shared that initial findings showed seven killed and 13 injured, with some in critical condition. The village, which hosts a Shiite Muslim shrine, is known for its daily visits by worshippers. Shia Muslims, primarily Hazara ethnic group members, remain a minority in Afghanistan and have faced targeted violence in the past.