Gunmen Kill 14 in Deadly Attack on Shiite Area in Afghanistan

Photo: AP

ISLAMABAD — The Taliban reported that 14 people were killed on Thursday in a Shiite-majority area of central Afghanistan, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the country this year. The assault, which also left six others wounded, occurred as victims were traveling between the Shiite-majority provinces of Ghor and Daikundi.

Initially, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that a machine gun was used in the assault. The group provided a higher death toll than the one reported by the Taliban. The IS group’s statement also alleged that the victims were people welcoming Afghan Shiites returning from pilgrimage sites in Iraq.

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Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, condemned the attack and called for immediate action against the perpetrators. Kanaani highlighted that the attack targeted individuals who were welcoming Afghan Shiite pilgrims, reinforcing the severity of the crime.

The IS group's affiliate in Afghanistan, which has been a significant rival to the Taliban, has increasingly challenged the authorities' control over domestic security. Over the past three years, this faction has targeted schools, hospitals, mosques, and Shiite areas, demonstrating their ability to disrupt public safety and stability.

In response to the attack, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the violence as a “barbaric action” and emphasized that protecting people and their property is a priority for the Taliban. Mujahid assured that efforts were underway to locate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

This attack follows a series of violent incidents linked to the IS group. Earlier in the month, an IS suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a prosecutor’s office in Kabul. In May, a motorcycle bomb exploded in northeastern Badakhshan province, killing police officers involved in an anti-poppy cultivation campaign.

Richard Bennett, a U.N.-appointed rights expert, expressed alarm over the recent wave of IS-claimed attacks. He described the targeted killings of Shiite Hazaras as having the hallmarks of international crimes. Bennett, who has been barred from entering Afghanistan by the Taliban, criticized the ongoing violence and its impact on the civilian population.