ISLAMABAD – A Sikh temple was attacked in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The Taliban announced that at least two people were killed and 7 injured in the incident.
Abdul Nafi Takor, spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, told reporters that a member of the Sikh community and a Taliban security personnel were among those killed in the attack.
Takor said a group of gunmen first threw grenades at the security guards at the entrance to the temple in the Kart-e-Parwan neighborhood, and then raided the place of worship.
It was stated that the Taliban security forces quickly surrounded the temple and clashed with the attackers, killing all the attackers.
Local television channels broadcast images of dense gray smoke rising from the area.
Takor noted that the militants tried to dive into the crowded area with a vehicle loaded with explosives, but the vehicle exploded before it reached its target.
An official of the temple told reporters that there were 30 people in the beer at the time of the attack.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Before the Taliban seized power last August, the Sikh population in Afghanistan was around 300.
According to the statements of Sikh community members and media reports, many Sikhs went to India before the Taliban came to power. Others were unable to do so due to issues with the Indian visa.
ISIS’s local arm, IS in Khorasan, has recently increased its attacks against minority Shiite Muslim Afghans and other religious minorities in Afghanistan.
The organization claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shiite temple in Kabul in 2020 that left 25 people dead.
The Taliban administration states that they have largely neutralized the bases of ISIS Khorasan in Afghanistan, but the increase in attacks in recent days raises questions on official statements.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, noting that they are deeply concerned about the attack in Kabul, he stated that they are closely following the developments.
Some of the information in this news is taken from Reuters.