‘Nowhere is safe’: Nation Aussies must avoid as govt issues dramatic Afghanistan warning
The Australian government has issued a dramatic warning about travel to one country, urging tourists to “understand that you could die”.
The Australian government has issued a dramatic warning about travel to Afghanistan, urging would-be tourists to “understand that you could die”.
“Do not travel to Afghanistan,” the latest update from Smartraveller said on Tuesday.
“Nowhere in Afghanistan is safe - even the capital,” it continued.
“Australians have been kidnapped, arbitrarily detained and targeted by terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.
“The security situation is extremely dangerous and volatile.”
The advisory service warned against booking a tourist trip to Afghanistan, “even if offered by reputable operators”.
“Westerners, including Australians, have recently been shot, injured or killed while on a guided tour in Afghanistan.
“If you go to Afghanistan against our advice, you’re responsible for your own safety. Understand that you could die and make a will before you go.
“Australia has no Embassy in Kabul. Our ability to provide any consular or passport assistance is severely limited.”
The government has not stepped up its warning, which has remained at “do not travel” for years.
But in Tuesday’s update it has “added more context as to why its unsafe to go there,” according to Ramya DilipKumar, operations manager for the Asia Pacific team at travel risk intelligence firm Riskline.
“Maybe they did this because of the increasing interest in tourism to Afghanistan,” Ms DilipKumar told news.com.au.
“The threat of kidnapping is very real for any foreign national, particularly Westerners, who are viewed as high-value targets by militant groups operating in Afghanistan – especially the Islamic State Khorasan.
“Since the Taliban took over, kidnappings and attacks on both hard and soft targets have continued, including in major cities like Kabul.”
Cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan could also close air and overland borders rapidly, “stranding travellers for ages in these areas”.
It was difficult to say how often Australians got into trouble in Afghanistan, Ms DilipKumar said, because there were “strong media controls” in place there.
“Besides, the uptick in tourism has been recent, so it is too soon to tell if anything has happened. If anything occurred recently, we may not even hear about it for a while.”
Influencer slammed over holiday
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, 18 months after the US withdrew the last of its troops.
Since then, tourism has spiked, according to local officials - rising from 700 visitors in 2021 to more than 9,000 last year.
But influencers have copped criticism for visiting the country and lending legitimacy to its oppressive regime, which imposes strict rules on the dress and behaviour of women.
Aussie content creator Chloe Baradinsky was slammed when she toured Afghanistan earlier this year.
Comedian and podcaster Rosie Waterland questioned whether Ms Baradinsky had received financial support for the trip after she shared “glamorous travel content” - a charge Ms Baradinsky denied.
The 30-year-old said she was not paid by the Taliban to visit the country, adding, “I absolutely do not condone or glamourise the Taliban or their oppressive rule”.
Another influencer, Jess Davis, lied to her family and told them she was elsewhere doing a trip to Afghanistan this year.
Ms Davis claimed getting a visa was easy and she never felt unsafe because tourists “basically have the safety guarantee of the Taliban”.
“They want tourism, it looks good for improving their international image,” she told 9 News. “They do not want anything bad to happen to you. It doesn’t look good for them.”
