Man claims he was ‘offered chance’ to join in ‘human safari’ and shoot civilians in Iraq
A man claims that he was offered the chance to shoot Iraqi civilians in another alleged instance of 'sniper tourism', as he says 'people are doing it all the time'.
This year, allegations were put forward that several 'wealthy people' paid upwards of $90,000 (£70,000) to travel to Sarajevo as part of a 'sniper tourism' during the Bosnian War, which took place between 1992 and 1996.
The war saw the deaths of more than 10,000 people before Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia, which has since been dissolved into six separate republics.
Italian journalist, Ezio Gavazzeni, claimed that he'd discovered evidence of these alleged 'sniper safaris', which he referred to as a 'manhunt' by 'very wealthy people' who 'paid to be able to kill defenceless civilians'.
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Reports further claim that there were different hit rates on the deaths of men, women, and children.
However, according to a 'war tourist', the allegations surrounding 'human safaris' are nothing new.
Andrew Drury claimed to The Sun that during his travels around conflict-torn countries, he was 'offered the chance' to take a shot at innocent civilians in Iraq, which he refused.
“I visited the frontline in Kirkuk, Iraq, when I was offered the chance to have a shot by a sniper," he said. “I wouldn’t even look into the scope. I couldn’t take another human life, I couldn’t even kill an animal - but people are doing it all the time.”
“You had people travelling to Iraq and joining the Peshmerga, it could be classed that they were on holiday, although they joined and fought against ISIS. Was that tourism? They weren’t soldiers...” he continued.
He condemned the alleged practice as 'lunacy', adding: "It’s not dark tourism, it’s murder."
Gavazzeni said he first became aware when reading reports about alleged 'sniper tourists' in the Italian press, before being introduced to the 2022 documentary, Sarajevo Safari, which he described as the 'starting point'.
He alleged that 'many, many, many Italians' were involved, as well as those from other Western countries, like Germany, France and the UK, adding: "There were no political or religious motivations. They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction. We are talking about people who love guns who perhaps go to shooting ranges or on safari in Africa."
Gavazzeni filed a complaint in Milan, and the BBC reported that the public prosecutor's office had opened an investigation into the claims.
Dag Dumrukcic, the Bosnian consul in Milan, said: “We are eager to uncover the truth about such a cruel matter and settle accounts with the past. I am aware of some information that I will contribute to the investigation."
Jen Thomas