A group of Italian tourists visiting Balkh’s historical monuments said on Sunday security in Afghanistan has enabled them to visit Bamiyan, Herat and Kabul in the past nine days.

The tourists said they have had positive experiences in the country and have enjoyed their trip so far.

One of the tourists, who was wearing traditional menswear said: “I feel very good, I feel very comfortable in these Afghan clothes, these clothes are very good in hot weather, really these clothes are made for Afghanistan climate, when I go back to Italy again, I will use these clothes there as well.”

“I just came to Afghanistan and I am very happy to visit this beautiful country, really, what I had heard about the beauty of this country is exactly the same, I am really amazed to see this place,” said another tourist.

They said they have visited historical sites and have had the opportunity to experience the culture and customs of the Afghan people.

“I am really very happy to come to this country, a country with very old history and culture, I am really happy to be here,” said another Italian tourist.

Meanwhile, officials in the Balkh Department of Information and Culture report an increase in the number of domestic and foreign visitors.

Abdul Wahid Ahadi, Director of Tourism at the Department of Information and Culture in Balkh said in the first three months of this year, over 190 foreign tourists from around the world visited the province.

“Almost 191 foreign tourists have visited Balkh province, to see ancient tourist sites; they came from nearly 32 different countries of the world,” said Ahadi.

Balkh province has more than a hundred ancient and historical buildings, sites and areas - including the tomb of Hazrat Ali, the Khanqah of the father of Maulana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi, and the tomb of Rabia Balkhi.

Two patients died of Congo fever in Abu Ali Sinai Balkhi Hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif city, health officials said.

Reports of an outbreak of Congo fever have been recorded in a number of provinces in the north of the country.

Najibullah Tawana, head of public health of Balkh, announced the death of two people in the meeting of sectorial coordination to prevent and reduce diseases between humans and animals in the province.

"Last week, 10 cases of Congo disease were confirmed in Faryab and Jawzjan and [patients were] transferred to Abu Ali Sina Balkhi seminary hospital, but two of them have died,” said Tawana.
Meanwhile, Mawolavi Mohammad Nasim Abid, the deputy mayor of Mazar-e-Sharif, said that they monitor the cleanliness and compliance of butchers every day, and that animals are slaughtered in slaughterhouses built by this department.

According to him; standard facilities have been established for the slaughter of chickens to prevent the spread of various diseases.

Mawolavi Zabihullah Noorani, the head of Balkh culture and information, also asked the media to inform the people about the prevention of this disease and inform them about the harm of this deadly disease.

Officials in Balkh said on Monday that in the past 19 months they have prevented the smuggling of 50 kilograms of gold and $3 million US dollars at Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport.

Abdul Ghaffar Farooqi, the deputy director of the airport, said that 1,500 domestic and international flights have taken place from the airport in the past 19 months.

“Since the IEA victory, 1,500 domestic and foreign flights have been made. Domestic flights to Kabul and Herat are carried out by Ariana and Kam Air,” Farooqi said.

According to the official, 20 employees of the airport have received professional training provided by Uzbekistan, which has brought the necessary facilities to the airport.

He added that after 20 years, the airport's electricity system has been connected to the public grid, which is less expensive than generators.

Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport is one of the largest airports in the country, and was built with the help of Germany and the United Arab Emirates.