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#REDIRECT [[Terrorism_in_Yemen#Wadi_Dawan_attack]]
{{Infobox terrorist attack
|title=2008 Yemen tourist attack
{{Rcat shell|
|image= Location of Hadhramaut.svg
{{R to section}}
|caption=
{{R to related topic}}
|location=[[Hadhramaut Governorate|Hadhramaut]], [[Yemen]]
{{R from merge}}
|target=Belgian Tourists
{{R from subtopic}}
|date=January 18, 2008
|time-begin=
|time-end=
|timezone=UTC+3
|type=[[Ambush]]
|fatalities=5
|injuries=4
|susperps=
|perps=Unknown, possibly [[Al-Qaeda]]
}}
{{Campaignbox Insurgencies in Yemen}}
{{Campaignbox al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen since 1992}}
The '''2008 Yemen tourist attack''' was an ambush attack on [[Belgium|Belgian]] tourists traveling in a convoy through [[Hadhramaut Governorate|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.<ref name=bbc>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7196186.stm BBC NEWS - Al-Qaeda attack Belgian Tourists]</ref> 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.<ref name="soir_belgestues">{{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.</ref> The tourists were repatriated to Belgium on January 19, except the injured man, who remained in [[Sana'a|Sanaa]].<ref name="soir_rapatries">{{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.</ref>
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.<ref name="soir_belgestues"/> A number of arrests were made on January 21.<ref name="soir_arrestations">{{fr icon}} [http://www.lesoir.be/actualite/monde/yemen-arrestation-des-auteurs-2008-01-21-572517.shtml Plusieurs suspects arrêtés au Yémen], ''Le Soir'', January 21, 2008.</ref>
==Reactions==
*{{flagicon|EU}}Current [[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."<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=105884&d=20&m=1&y=2008 Belgian Tourists Return Home From Yemen Ordeal], ''[[ArabNews]]'', 20 January 2008.</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of terrorist incidents, 2008]]
*[[2007 attack on tourists in Yemen]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7196186.stm bbc.co.uk]
{{Terrorism in Yemen}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Attack On Tourists In Yemen}}
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Yemen in 2008]]
[[Category:Mass murder in 2008]]
[[Category:Mass shootings]]
[[Category:Attacks on tourists]]
[[Category:Belgium–Yemen relations]]
[[Category:January 2008 crimes]]
[[Category:January 2008 events in Asia]]
{{yemen-stub}}
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