The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Daesh terrorist group, has repeatedly attacked Hazaras and other religious minorities across Afghanistan. The Daesh terrorists targeted them in their schools, shrines, workplaces, clinics, hospitals, universities, courses, and even during prayers inside their mosques. This targets are going on since many years and both the governments ( the republic system) and the current Taliban Emirate have done little to protect these communities from suicide attacks, unarmed attacks or provide them with necessary security measurements.
In the latest deadly attack, Daesh claimed responsibility for an attack on Shia Hazaras that claimed the lives of 14 Shias. The incident took place on Thursday in the Karyudal area, which lies between Daykunid and Ghor, the two provinces mainly populated with Shia people. Another four Shias received injuries.
Local sources said that the victims were traveling along the route between the two provinces to welcome the relatives returning from a visit to the Karbala, when they were brutally gunned down by the Daesh armed men. Hazaras considered Karbala as a holy city in Iraq where millions of Shia Muslims had converged for the Shiite pilgrimage of Arbaeen, marking the 4th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
A local source told Harici that the armed men halted the bus carrying the residents under the pretense of taking photographs and suddenly opened fire on them.
Attack on Hazaras draws widespread condemnations
The Afghan citizens and the politicians have strongly condemned the attack on Hazara civilians and denounced the attack as “terrorist act.” Abdullah Abdullah, former head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, expressed his deepest regret for the brutal killing of 14 innocent residents of Daikundi.
“We strongly condemn the merciless killing of our innocent countrymen,” he added.
Former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzia termed the brutal killing and shooting of civilians in Daikundi as a terrorist act and a crime against humanity and against Islam. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and condemned “this crime in the strongest terms.”
Former head of National Directorate of Security, Rahmatullah Nabil also condemned the killing of Hazara people and called it the most heartbreaking form of violence.
“This is the most heartbreaking kind of violence that takes the lives of innocent people just for the crime of trying to live a peaceful and civil life. These disasters are not only a wound on the bodies of our Hazaras, but also on the souls of all Afghan people,” he said in a post in X.
He furthered, “today, more than ever, we need to join hands and create a new narrative for this country; a narrative in which all ethnic groups, regardless of religion and ethnicity, have equal rights and security. Otherwise, this vicious cycle of extremism and the killing of innocent people in the name of religion will continue and several generations will become victims of this violence.”
Vicious cycle of extremism and the killing of innocent people in the name of religion
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said that Iran strongly condemned the criminal attack by Daesh terrorists on those welcoming the pilgrims of Karbala in Ghor province. Kanani called for immediate action to punish the perpetrators of this crime and reiterated support to the government of Afghanistan on its anti-terrorist measures.
The UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett also condemned the attack on the Hazara people, stating that the “appalling SKIP-claimed killings of Hazara from Daikundi traveling in Ghor bears the hallmarks of international crimes.”
He furthered: “I am alarmed about the spate of SKIP-claimed attacks. Need for prevention, protection and international accountability in Afghanistan.”
A Taliban spokesman confirmed the incident and said that 14 people were killed and six others wounded in the brutal attack carried out by the enemies of humanity. “We strongly condemn this brutal act, and consider it our duty to protect the nation’s property and lives. While we share our condolences with the victims of this incident, we are also making serious efforts to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, a resident of Sang-e-Takht district of Daikundi said that 14 people were killed just a few days after the Taliban governor promised to provide security in the province. He said that the Taliban governor had recently visited the district and promised that he would ensure the security of the roads between Ghor and Bandar. However, on Thursday 14 people were killed on the road between the same village.
