In a stark reminder of the ongoing violence in Afghanistan, the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) has claimed responsibility for a tragic gun attack at a Sufi shrine in the northern Baghlan province, which resulted in the death of ten individuals. This incident occurred on Saturday and has raised serious alarms about the safety of religious minorities under the current regime.
Despite claims by the Taliban authorities in Kabul that they have effectively eliminated the IS-K threat, the group continues to assert its presence through brutal attacks, particularly targeting Sufi and Shiite communities, whom they deem heretical. The Taliban’s assertion of control contrasts sharply with the reality on the ground, as IS-K remains active and lethal.
According to Abdul Matin Qani, the spokesman for the interior ministry, the assault took place during a weekly ritual at the shrine located in the remote Nahrin district. Eyewitness accounts recount that worshippers had gathered for the evening prayers at the Sayed Pasha Agha shrine when a gunman opened fire indiscriminately at those engaged in Sufi chanting. This horrific act left the local community in shock, with one resident describing the devastating aftermath: when attendees arrived for morning prayers, they were met with the grim discovery of the bodies of the deceased.
Human rights concerns have once again been highlighted in the wake of this attack. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, took to social media platform X to emphasize the dangers faced by religious minorities in the country. He called for increased efforts in prevention, protection, and justice to combat the escalating violence against these groups.
IS-K’s extremist ideology fundamentally opposes the Sufi faith, accusing its followers of polytheism due to their reverence for saints. This fundamentalist viewpoint fuels their campaigns of terror, with a notable incident occurring in mid-September when IS-K claimed responsibility for an attack in central Afghanistan that took the lives of 14 individuals who were gathered to welcome pilgrims returning from the revered Shiite site of Karbala, Iraq.
The recent spate of violence underscores the precarious situation for vulnerable religious communities in Afghanistan, casting a shadow over the claims of stability by the Taliban government. As the threat from IS-K persists, the need for protection and support for religious minorities becomes increasingly urgent in the face of ongoing and targeted violence.
