Afghanistan: Dozens Killed in Kabul Gurdwara Attack Claimed by ISIS

Dozens have been killed in a militant attack on a gurdwara in Kabul. The attack was carried out in the early morning by gunmen and suicide bombers, and they killed at least 25 people, including children and women. 

The attack lasted for hours on Wednesday as the gunmen held hostages while the international troops and special forces of Afghan tried to end the siege. The interior ministry informed that a gunman had burst into the gurdwara early on Wednesday morning, firing at the worshippers.

Raju Singh Sonny, a witness of the incident, told AFP that a person wearing a police uniform burst into the gurdwara, he shot the guard and started attacking the worshippers who were present in the main hall.

Sonny said, “Several other attackers also entered the building, and they were going room to room shooting people.”

The reports said that a group of assailants carried out the attack. When the attack started at 7 am, around 200 people were trapped in the complex located in the Shorbazar area. 

Harendra Singh, who was present in the gurdwara during the attacks, told Reuters, “The attackers arrived on the stairs and started to kill the women. My nephew shouted and said to me, ‘Uncle, please go downstairs,’ they shot my nephew in the head”. Harendra Singh lost his wife, daughter, father, and several other relatives in the attack. 

Sikhs community is one of the religious minorities in Afghanistan. This minority is protected by law, but it is frequently subject to discrimination and is targeted by extremists. 

The attack on gurdwara on Wednesday was claimed by ISIS armed group. It was the second ISIS attack in March on the minorities of the country. Earlier this month, they attacked a gathering of Shia Hazara ethnic minority and killed around 30 people.