Islamic State branch claims deadly Afghanistan attack on Catalan tourists

Islamic State in the Khorasan Province, a regional branch of the jihadist terrorist group, has claimed the attack in central Afghanistan that resulted in three Catalan tourists dead on Friday.

The group's news agency stated on Sunday that fighters of their Organization shot "seven Christians," referring to the Western tourists, and five Shiites.

The three Catalan people who died were from Barcelona, Girona and Figueres, and an Afghan resident was also killed – another Catalan tourists was injured, and two more went unharmed.

Reacting to the announcement, the Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, said on X that the crimes "will not go unpunished."

"Spain will continue working against terrorism and in the coalition against Daesh," he added.

"The two Spaniards that went unharmed are already outside Afghanistan, and the mission to repatriate the rest of Spanish victims continues underway."

Authorities are working to speed up the administrative procedures to repatriate the bodies of the three Catalans killed in the attack, and are in contact with the hospital in the Afghan capital where the woman injured is still being kept. Sources say her condition is improving.

The women who lost their lives have been named as Susana Vilar Bühler and her daughter Elena Schröder Vilar, who are both pharmacists. They were the owners of the pharmacies in the Sants neighborhood of Barcelona and Les Arenes in Terrassa. The third dead Catalan citizen is only identified as R.B.R., born in Girona.