Almog Armouza, 25, from Gedera, was severely attacked last night (Monday) in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, in a violent assault carried out by a group of locals.
Armouza, who was on his way to the Israeli hostel in the city, told Ynet that he was struck in the head with an iron club, and that only a rapid escape saved his life, "They hit me in the head with an iron club. If I hadn't run - there's a good chance I wouldn't be alive today."
Armouza recalled, "I had just recorded a voice message to a friend in Hebrew, which they heard, and at the end I received a massive blow to the head from an iron club. They came at me from behind." He said that between three and five people attacked him; one of them grabbed his coat and another struck him again, a blow that "split my head open and caused it to bleed."
In an effort to escape the alley he managed to kick the assailant who was holding him and run toward the hostel. "They chased me, but when they saw I was approaching the hostel that has security, they fled elsewhere." After reaching a safer location, he called the police and was evacuated to a hospital. "I lost maybe a liter of blood," he described.
At a local hospital, he received medical treatment that included stitches and an MRI scan. "They definitely meant to kill me with an attack like that," he added.
A Chabad emissary in Kathmandu, Rabbi Hezki Lifshitz, who accompanied Armouza at the hospital, noted, "It is not yet clear on what background the incident occurred. Logic suggests it may be nationalist in nature, because he was attacked from behind without cause."
He said, "It was an organized attack, and the attackers were equipped. I believe that during the day, we will know more. The attack area is covered by cameras. The authoritieis will find the attackers."