Global condemnation after gunmen open fire at shrine in Afghanistan

Kabul: Condemnations poured in after a gun attack occurred at a shrine in Afghanistan’s Injil district, where gunmen opened fire on civilians, killing and injuring several people.

The European Union has condemned attack on civilians in Afghanistan’s Herat and expressed solidarity with those affected.

“The EU condemns all acts of terror against civilians, in any form and by any actor. Such violence is never justified. Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the heinous attack in Herat. We stand in full solidarity with all those affected,” the Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan posted on X.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, called for a probe into the attack targeting Shia community members in Herat, calling for accountability for those responsible.

In a post on X, Bennett stated that the attack on Shia community members in Herat, “resulting in multiple civilian deaths & injuries, appears to fit a pattern and must be not only condemned but independently investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.”

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai condemned attack on civilians by armed men in Herat and expressed sympathies with the families of the victims.

“Former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai strongly condemns the attack by armed individuals on ordinary people in Herat’s Angil district, which resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of a number of our compatriots, including women and children, and considers it a crime against humanity. The former president extends condolences and sympathies to the families of the martyrs over this tragic incident and prays for the swift recovery of the wounded,” Karzai posted on X.

The statement comes after an attack occurred at a shrine in Injil district on Friday, where gunmen opened fire on people, killing and injuring several people. Casualty figures differ as hospital sources report higher numbers than official accounts, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

According to the reports, armed men riding motorcycles targeted people from a close range after separating men from women, with many victims believed to be from the Shia community. According to local sources, the gunmen looted victims before firing on them and fleeing from the spot, Khaama Press reported.

In recent years, attacks targeting minority communities, especially Shiites, have been reported in western Afghanistan, sparking concerns about recurring violence.

IANS