Over dozen killed in Daesh attack on Afghan Hazaras welcoming Karbala pilgrims

More than a dozen civilians have been killed in a Daesh terrorist attack in Afghanistan where they had gathered to welcome pilgrims arriving from holy sites in Karbala.

According to Afghan media outlets, the attack occurred around Thursday midday in the Karyudal area, which lies on the border between Daykundi and Ghor provinces.

Reports indicate that the victims were Shia Muslims from Sang Takht district in Daykundi province, who had traveled to Karyudal to meet Hazara relatives returning from a pilgrimage to the holy Iraqi city of Karbala.

The attackers reportedly halted a bus carrying the residents under the pretense of taking photographs and then opened fire on them.

A source in Daykundi province, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told AFP news agency that 14 people had been killed and at least four others wounded in the attack.

In a statement later in the day, the Daesh Khorasan Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Complex situation in Afghanistan requires comprehensive talks: Iran envoy

Iran’s special envoy to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi says the complicated situation in Afghanistan and the region requires comprehensive consultations with all parties.

“They are informed to be prepared to receive and treat the wounded,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Iran condemns terrorist attack

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani condemned the terrorist attack in a Friday statement, also expressing his condolences to the families of the victims.

He said Iran supports the anti-terrorist measures taken by the ruling Taliban administration in Afghanistan, further calling for immediate actions to punish the perpetrators of the crime.

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul also condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack.

The diplomatic mission prayed that the souls of the victims rest in peace, and prayed to Almighty God to grant patience to their families and relatives.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran demands the punishment of the perpetrators of this horrific tragedy, and voices its readiness in this regard,” the statement said in a post published on the social media platform X.

7 people, incl. child, killed in attack on Shia mosque in NW Afghanistan: Report

Unknown assailants reportedly kill at least seven people, including a child, in an attack on a Shia mosque in northwestern Afghanistan.

Shia Muslims form a minority in Afghanistan that is mostly drawn from the country’s Hazara community.

The community, the poorest of the country’s ethnic groups, accounts for about 22 percent of Afghanistan’s population. Its members have been targeted in several large-scale kidnappings and killings, including by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, across Afghanistan in the past.

Daesh has a foothold in eastern and northern Afghanistan, particularly in Nangarhar, which is regarded as its base in the war-torn country. It has in recent years claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across Afghanistan and the region.

Regional countries have held the United States and Britain responsible for the growth of the  Deash terrorist group in Afghanistan and the uptick in violence across the Asian country.

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