Two Turkish nationals and their Ethiopian driver have been killed by armed bandits while travelling on a tourist trip in Ethiopia, Türkiye’s ambassador to Addis Ababa has said.
Ambassador Berk Baran told Anadolu Agency that the gun attack took place on the morning of January 12 in a rural area near the town of Tum in southwestern Ethiopia.
The victims were identified as Turkish citizens Erdogan Akbulak and Cengizhan Gungor, along with their Ethiopian driver, Baran said.
According to the ambassador, four Turkish nationals were travelling in two vehicles at the time of the attack. The two people in the vehicle in front managed to escape unharmed and later informed the embassy of the incident.
Baran said the surviving Turkish citizens and the bodies of those killed were flown to Addis Ababa on Tuesday morning.
“Procedures are under way. Our citizens are being hosted at the embassy, and the bodies will be sent to Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight tonight, arriving tomorrow morning,” he said.
‘Cooperation and support’
The ambassador said Ethiopian authorities had moved quickly after the attack.
“Once the incident became known, the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs contacted us to convey their condolences and wishes for a speedy recovery. A task force involving the ministries of foreign affairs, tourism and defence, as well as federal and local police units, was established to investigate the incident and to arrange the transfer of our citizens and the bodies to Addis Ababa. Ethiopian authorities have shown commendable cooperation and support,” Baran said.
He added that the results of the investigation into those responsible for the attack were being awaited.
Baran noted that the area where the attack took place is frequently visited by tourist groups throughout the year, including Turkish visitors.
He also advised travellers to research the areas they plan to visit in advance, adding that the Turkish embassy stands ready to provide guidance to citizens who contact it before travelling.
Baran extended his condolences to the families of those killed and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.
