AFGHANISTAN, April 30: In a tragic incident, a gunman launched a deadly assault on a mosque in western Afghanistan, claiming the lives of six individuals, as confirmed by a government spokesperson.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior Affairs, reported that an unidentified armed assailant opened fire on worshippers in a mosque located in Andisheh town of Guzara district, Herat province, around 9 pm local time on Monday. Among the victims, six civilians were tragically killed, while one person sustained injuries, Qani announced via the social media platform X in the early hours of Tuesday.
The state-operated Bakhtar News Agency corroborated the death toll provided by Qani. Reports from local sources, as cited by Tolo, a local media channel, indicated that the targeted mosque belonged to Afghanistan’s minority Shia community. Additionally, it was reported that the attack claimed the life of a prayer leader, known as an Imam.
The Iranian embassy in Kabul swiftly condemned the heinous assault. While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the regional chapter of ISIL (ISIS) remains a significant security threat in Afghanistan, frequently targeting Shia communities.
Despite the Taliban government’s assurances to safeguard religious and ethnic minorities since reclaiming power in August 2021, human rights observers contend that little has been done to fulfill this promise. The Taliban authorities have often provided lower death tolls than other sources following bombings and armed assaults, seemingly downplaying security threats.
Although the Taliban has claimed to have eradicated ISIL from Afghanistan and denies the group’s resurgence in the country since the withdrawal of foreign forces, the reality appears different. A United Nations Security Council report released in January noted a decrease in ISIL attacks in Afghanistan due to Taliban counter-terrorism efforts. However, the report also highlighted ISIL’s enduring recruitment capabilities and its potential to pose threats beyond the region.
ISIL’s chapter spanning Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia made headlines with the March attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow, claiming over 140 lives. This assault stands as the deadliest attack in Russia in two decades.