New York, Sep 6 : The Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) is the Islamic States (ISIS) affiliate in Afghanistan has repeatedly targeted Hazaras and other minorities of other religions in their mosques, schools and at their workplaces, Human Rights Watch said.The Taliban authorities have not done enough to safeguard these communities from suicide bombings or other illegal attacks, or to provide medical treatment and other assistance for the victims and their families.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 The Islamic State affiliate has claimed the responsibility for 13 attacks against Hazaras and was linked to at minimum three more that have killed and injured more than 700 people.
The increasing crackdown by the Taliban on media outlets, especially in the provinces , means that more attacks could be unreported.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that recent attacks carried out by the Taliban against Shia gatherings in Kabul killed and wounded more than 120 people.
“Since the Taliban takeover, ISIS-linked militants have carried out numerous brutal attacks on the members of the Hazara community while they attend school, work or to pray, without receiving a significant response from Taliban officials,” said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch.”The Taliban have an obligation to safeguard communities at risk and aid those who have been people who have been victims of attack and families.”
The Hazara are a majority Shia Muslim ethnic group that have been subjected to discrimination and exploitation from successive Afghan governments for more than 100 years.In the 1990s Taliban troops were able to target the Shia for mass murders and other serious violations.
With the Taliban returning in power and the Taliban back in power, the Hazara have become increasingly concerned about their safety and if they will be protected by the new government.be able to protect them.”The Taliban never liked Hazaras,” said one Hazara community member in Bamyan province.”Last time that they were in the power they killed many of us.”
The Taliban’s inability to provide security to vulnerable populations, and medical and other aid for families affected by the attack and their survivors and their families, as well as Taliban policies that violate human rights especially the rights of women as well as girls only adds to the harm that these acts of violence result in.
“Armed group leaders could be held accountable for their crimes against Hazaras and other communities,” Abbasi said.”Taliban officials who do not take steps to protect minorities religious from attack could be in some way complicit in this grave crime.”
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