I'm Dutch, and I admit that I am much less invested when Taliban/IS/etc. attacks happen in a Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, etc. Same goes for Ethiopia and the recent 90 deaths, and to a lesser extent a mass shooting in the US vs a mass shooting in for example neighboring France and Germany. It's what comes close I guess, but of course also the context of violence happening in less developed (I kind of do not like that term) countries/regions is more 'normal' to me. A killing due to the Israel/Palestina conflict for example hardly hits a nerve with me anymore, same old same old, and far away.

But on a more rational level I can and do sympathize, not that I have no emotional response whatsoever to things outside the 500km radius of my home, but still I'd be lying if I'm searching all over the internet for more info on for example this particular attack. And I can very much understand the matter of adding insult to injury for muslim victims or plainly normal decent human beings, and I'm not a fan of religion so to say. But remember it's the minority of not the brightest bulbs that do not see this and make wrong equations, and sadly this minority has a disproportionate high presence through social media, etc. The more thoughtful and nuanced people are less outspoken so to say.

I'm not sure where I'm heading with this comment as I'm stating the obvious. I will just say that comments like yours do make the world a bit smaller for me, the tragedies more 'meaningful', which brings us closer to an idealistic 'we' which is needed to make the world better or fair I guess. I of course hope your friend/colleague is well.