Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, was the scene of horrific carnage after explosions rocked a peaceful protest and left at least 80 dead and more than 230 wounded. At the height of the march, demonstrators chanted slogans against Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouting “death to discrimination” and “all Afghans are equal”. Authorities believe two ISIS suicide bombers mounted the strike.
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In the hours after the attack, details of casualties were unclear, but some security forces seemed to have been among the killed. “We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan’s enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government”. During Taliban rule in the late 1990s, many of them fled to Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan. A spokesman for the group, which is also Sunni Muslim, called the bombing “an ominous plot aimed at creating discord among the nation”.
Hazaras, most of whom are Shiite Muslims, were especially persecuted during the extremist Sunni Taliban 1996-2001 regime.
TOLOnews reported that the incident took place in Dehmazang Circle during a mass demonstration.
Thousands of people from Afghanistan’s Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul on Saturday to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line.
The Hazara demonstration, which followed several others in May, had been announced in advance and its route and location were well known. Among the wounded was a protest leader and member of Parliament, Ahmed Behzad, witnesses said.
President Ashraf Ghani, declaring yesterday a national day of mourning, said: “I promise you that I will avenge the blood of our loved ones on the perpetrators of this crime”.
President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned a suicide attack in Kabul, saying India stands by Afghanistan in opposing all forms of terrorism. This was the deadliest attack to hit Kabul in 15 years.
TIKRIT, July 23 (Xinhua) – Islamic State (IS) militants launched bomb attacks targeting civilians fleeing the militant-seized town of Shirqat in Iraq’s Salahudin province on Saturday, killing 13 and injuring 19 others, a provincial security source said. “Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in…”
The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack through the Amaq news agency linked to the jihadist group after the Taliban denied any involvement in the attack.
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The Persian-speaking Hazara, a mainly Shia group estimated to make up about 9 percent of the population, are Afghanistan’s third-largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination.
