Peaceful Afghan: 12 people killed in Herat shooting

[duluxe]

Sources say 12 people were killed and 20 others wounded in a shooting in western Afghanistan’s Herat province on Friday, April 10, in an attack that appeared to target civilians visiting a religious site.

The assault took place in the Deh Miri area of Injil district in Herat, where a shrine draws visitors, many of them from the Shiite community.

Sources at Herat’s Regional Hospital, a main public health center in the province, said 12 bodies and 20 injured people had been brought in following the attack. Among the dead were two women and a child, and at least two of the wounded were reported to be in critical condition. Most of the injured were being treated in orthopedic wards, the sources said.

Witnesses described a coordinated assault carried out by four armed men on motorcycles who intercepted a group of civilians around 2 p.m. The attackers, their faces covered, reportedly robbed the victims of money, phones and jewelry before separating men and women and opening fire.

“They took everything first, then started shooting,” one witness said.

Survivors said many of those at the site had gathered for a religious visit, suggesting the victims may have been targeted based on sectarian identity.

The attackers fled the scene, and local residents later transported the victims to the hospital.

The updated toll marks a sharp increase from earlier figures provided by Taliban, who initially said at least seven people had been killed and 13 wounded.

Abdul Mateen Qanay, spokesman for Taliban Interior ministry, said on Friday that the shooting occurred when assailants on motorcycles opened fire on civilians gathered in the area, adding that an investigation was underway.

No group has claimed responsibility.

The attack drew condemnation from former President Hamid Karzai, who described it as “inhumane” and noted that women and children were among the victims.

Attacks targeting Afghanistan’s Shiites, particularly the Hazara community, have been a recurring concern in recent years, often attributed to extremist groups such as ISIS-K. Between 2021 and 2024, United Nations reports and independent monitors documented dozens of such attacks on mosques, schools and public spaces, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians. While the frequency of large-scale attacks has fluctuated, targeted violence has persisted, raising concerns about the protection of religious minorities despite Taliban assurances of improved security.