In one of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan this year, 14 people were killed when Islamic State militants targeted a Shiite-majority area in central Afghanistan. The assault, which occurred on Thursday, struck a group of minority Hazaras traveling between the provinces of Ghor and Daikundi, leaving six others wounded.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the shooting, stating that its fighters used a machine gun during the attack. They asserted that the death toll was higher than initially reported by the Taliban. The attack targeted individuals who were welcoming Afghan Shiites returning home from visiting religious shrines in Iraq. The Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the attack and called for immediate action against the perpetrators.
The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has been a significant rival to the Taliban, frequently challenging their authority through attacks on schools, hospitals, mosques, and Shiite communities over the past three years. In the village of Bandar in Daikundi province, mourners gathered around rows of bodies covered in multi-colored fabrics.
Relatives of the victims expressed frustration with the government’s inability to prevent the attack, highlighting concerns about the safety of their families. Reza Ali, a relative of one victim, criticized the government for failing to secure the area, stating that the attack was a grave concern for the safety of their community.
The Taliban’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, condemned the attack as a “barbaric action” and vowed to protect people and property while intensifying efforts to apprehend those responsible. The United Nations mission in Afghanistan also extended its condolences to the victims’ families and called for a thorough investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
This attack follows a series of violent incidents claimed by the Islamic State in Afghanistan. Earlier this month, an IS suicide bomber targeted a prosecutor’s office in Kabul, and in May, a motorcycle bomb exploded in Badakhshan province, killing three police officers. UN-appointed rights expert Richard Bennett expressed alarm at the increasing frequency of these attacks, labeling the violence against the Shiite Hazara community as potentially constituting international crimes.
Hazaras, who represent about 9% of Afghanistan’s population of approximately 40 million, are primarily Shiite Muslims and are often targeted by Sunni radical groups like the Islamic State.
