Civilians killed in attack by Daesh terrorists in Afghanistan

Several civilians were killed after Daesh terrorists opened fire in central Afghanistan on Thursday.

“Unknown gunmen have opened fire and have killed the civilians,” Abdul Matin Qani, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry told AFP, adding further details on the attack in Daykundi province would be announced later.

A source in the province which could not be identified for security reasons told AFP 14 people were killed and at least four wounded.

The source said a group had gathered to welcome pilgrims returning from Karbala in Iraq, a Shiite holy site.

Local media website Tolo News reported a death toll of 14, according to sources.

An official at a hospital in the city of Nili, the provincial capital of the province said staff have been put on alert.

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

The Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility for the brutal attack, which it said killed 15 Shiite Muslims and injured six others.

Attacks in Afghanistan have declined markedly since the Taliban ended their insurgency when they seized power in 2021, but a number of armed groups, including the regional Daesh-Khorasan, remain a threat.

A source said a group had gathered to welcome pilgrims returning from Karbala in Iraq, a Shiite holy site.

Daesh-Khorasan, or Daesh-K, is the group’s Afghanistan branch, “Khorasan” referring to a historical region that included parts of Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The regional chapter of Daesh has a history of targeting Shiites they consider heretics but are also a rival of the Taliban.

The Taliban government has repeatedly played down the threat it poses.

Earlier this month the group claimed a suicide attack in the Afghan capital that killed six people.

It also said it was behind an attack targeting tourists in Afghanistan in May that killed six people, including three foreigners.

And in March, Daesh showed its wider capabilities by attacking a Moscow concert hall and killing 145 people.

A U.N. counter-terrorism official warned this month that Daesh-K poses the greatest external terrorist threat to Europe, having “improved its financial and logistical capabilities in the past six months”.

Chief Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the concerns raised were “driven by propaganda” and that the group had been “significantly weakened” in Afghanistan.

Source » dailysabah.com