Tajik government blames banned Islamic group for attack on cyclists

The Tajik government says a banned Islamic group is behind the weekend’s attack on a group of foreign cyclists which left four people, including one Dutchman, dead and three in hospital.

News agency AFP reports the government as saying the man leading the group was an ‘active member’ of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, which was banned in 2015. Hundreds of supporters have been arrested since then, the AD said.

On Monday night, the Islamic terrorist group IS claimed responsibility for the attack, which has left three people in hospital. The group’s Amaq news agency published the claim on July 30, but did not provide details or evidence to back up its statement, according to Radio Free Europe.

It stated the men were ‘soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the attack in response to calls to target the citizens of the coalition countries.’ However, other sources dispute the claim, saying the statement said ‘soldiers of the caliphate’ were behind the attack.

ISIS has *not* claimed credit for the Tajikistan attack. In line with previous assertions i.e. Orlando, Toronto, San Bernardino, ISIS has identified the attackers with “soldiers of the caliphate” terminology, which refers to those whose actions are in line with ISIS objectives. pic.twitter.com/vSDUaKAOMw

— Jett Goldsmith (@JettGoldsmith) July 30, 2018

According to RFE, there have been no previously known terrorist attacks on foreigners in Tajikistan.

The incident was originally reported as a hit and run accident but video footage published by RFE showed the car deliberately hitting one cyclist then turning round and driving into another.

At least one of the victims was reportedly stabbed.