Tajikistan's mountainous terrain is a draw for cyclists.
Keystone
A Swiss man, part of a cycling group, was one of four people killed when a car ploughed into them in Tajikistan at the weekend, the Swiss foreign affairs ministry has confirmed. A Swiss woman was injured by assailants armed with knives and guns.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s AMAQ news agency said on Monday.
The attackers “were soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the attack in response to calls to target the citizens of the coalition countries”, a statement by the group said.
However, the group did not provide further detail or evidence for its claim, and on Tuesday the Tajik interior ministry rather attributed the attack to another group, the “Islamic Renaissance” party.
They based this on the confession of one of the arrested attackers, who said that the operation was carried out on the orders of one Nossirkhoudjy Abaïdov, a member of the party that was outlawed following a crackdown by secular state authorities that began in 2015.
The attack in the mainly Islamic central Asian country took place on Sunday in the Danghara district, 90 kilometres southeast of Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe, on the Pamir Highway, which is popular with cyclists. Police initially thought the incident was a road traffic accident but soon realised the seven-strong cycling party had been the victim of a violent crime.
Four people were killed and three wounded. The deceased are from Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. Three others, from Switzerland, the Netherlands and France, were injured but are in a stable condition.
The Swiss authorities say they are in contact with the injured Swiss woman, her relatives and the local authorities.
“If it is established that this was a terrorist attack, it will be noted in future travel advice for Tajikistan,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
Police added that one suspect was arrested on Sunday and another two were killed while resisting arrest. Three other suspects are still at large.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
This content was published on
The "Dubai chocolate" has also caused a rush in Switzerland: queues formed outside the Lindt chocolate factory in Kilchberg, canton Zurich, on Saturday morning.
This content was published on
Stargazers currently have the chance to spot shooting stars in the night sky. Until November 30, the Leonid meteor shower is lighting up the darkness.
Nationalisation suggested to save Red Cross Museum
This content was published on
The director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva is calling for a national debate on the institution's future.
Climate: 224 Swiss companies announce CO2 reduction targets
This content was published on
A total of 224 companies from Switzerland have joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to CO2 reduction targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss political class divided over reform of EU asylum pact
This content was published on
As a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Switzerland must adapt five laws linked to the Schengen/Dublin agreements.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss among tourists trapped by earthquake near Indonesian volcano
This content was published on
On Sunday, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck near to the base of Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on the Indonesian island of Lombok. It triggered landslides that cut off escape routes for hundreds of people in the surrounding national park. The Indonesian news portal ‘kabar24’ lists 13 Swiss as being trapped on the volcano that…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.