2008 attack on tourists in Yemen

Infobox terrorist attack
title=2008 Yemen tourist attack

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caption=
location=Hadhramaut, Yemen
target=Belgian Tourists
date=January 18, 2008
time-begin=
time-end=
timezone=UTC+3
type=Ambush
fatalities=5
injuries=4
susperps=
perps=Unknown, possibly Al-Qaeda

The 2008 Yemen tourist attack was an ambush attack on Belgian tourists traveling in a convoy through Hadhramaut in the Wadi Dawan desert valley on January 18, 2008.

Details

A convoy of four jeeps carrying 15 tourists to Shibam were ambushed by gunmen in a hidden pickup truck. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7196186.stm BBC NEWS - Al-Qaeda attack Belgian Tourists] ] Two Belgian women, Claudine Van Caillie, of Bruges, 63, and Katrine Glorie, from East Flanders, 54, as well as two Yemenis, a driver and a guide, were killed; another man was also heavily wounded, several others suffered minor wounds.fr icon [http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/deux-touristes-belges-tues-au-2008-01-18-572164.shtml Deux Belges tuées au Yémen] , "Le Soir", January 18, 2008.] The tourists were repatriated to Belgium on January 19, except the injured man, who remained in Sanaa.fr icon [http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/yemen-les-touristes-belges-2008-01-19-572289.shtml Yémen : les touristes belges rapatriés] , "Le Soir", January 19, 2008.]

In the wake of the attack, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel De Gucht originally rejected that Al-Qaeda might be responsible, explaining that although the possibility could be avoided, internecine disputes and latent islamism also to be taken into account. A number of arrests were made on January 21.fr icon [http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/yemen-arrestation-des-auteurs-2008-01-21-572517.shtmlPlusieurs suspects arrêtés au Yémen] , "Le Soir", January 21, 2008.]

Reactions

*flagicon|EUCurrent President of the European Council Slovenia released a statement saying "The EU Presidency strongly condemns all forms of violence and calls on the government of Yemen to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice." [ [http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=105884&d=20&m=1&y=2008 Belgian Tourists Return Home From Yemen Ordeal] , "ArabNews", 20 January 2008.]

ee also

*List of terrorist incidents, 2008
*2007 Yemen tourist attack

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7196186.stm bbc.co.uk]