Tourists attacked in Afghanistan '˜booked trip through Brighouse firm'

The foreigners were travelling in the Chesht-e-Sharif district today (Thursday) in the western province of Herat with an Afghan army escort when militants opened fire on the convoy.

The group were heading for Herat city, the country’s ancient cultural centre, close to the Iranian border.

According to sources in Kabul, the party had gone to Afghanistan with Hinterland Travel, a small British tour operator based in Brighouse run by veteran tour guide Geoff Hann.

The company specialises in adventure tours to war-torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

It says a combination of excitement and danger coupled with the countries’ roles in the cultural development of the world attracts tourists.

Mr Hann launched the firm after visiting India in the 1970s with his family.

He said the element of danger was an attraction to some, but added people go mainly for the history.

Four successful tours from 2005 across the wilds of northern and central Afghanistan, led to the National Geographic Traveller Magazine accreditation as one of its 50 Tours of a lifetime.

The tours feature sites of civilisations which existed in 6,000 BC, predating the Greek and Roman empires by thousands of years.