25 killed in terror attack in Kabul; 1 gunman killed, 1 escapes
At least 25 people were killed when suspected suicide attackers stormed a Sikh place of worship in the Afghan capital on Wednesday, triggering a gun battle with security forces, according to media reports.
According to latest reports, one attacker has been killed and another one escaped. The third attacker was shot earlier, Afghan news channel Tolo News reported.
The attackers targeted a ‘dharamshala’ in Shor Bazar area of Kabul, which has a sizeable population of the Hindu and Sikh minorities. Some reports said the attack began at 7.45 am Afghan time.
Tolo News had earlier cited a security source as saying that 11 people are injured in the attack.
Photos posted on social media by Afghan journalists showed security forces and local residents evacuating the injured in ambulances.
Earlier, interior ministry spokesman Tariq Arian told the media suicide bombers had entered the dharamshala in Shor Bazar and were fighting with security forces. “More forces are arriving at the area,” he said.
The Afghan security forces had cleared the first floor of the Sikh place of worship and rescued a “number of people” who were trapped inside the building, Arian said.
Media reports said dozens of people were still trapped in the building and there were fears the attackers had taken hostages.
The Taliban denied involvement in the attack in messages sent to the Afghan media.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri “strongly condemned” the attack. “These killings are a grim reminder of atrocities that continue to be inflicted upon religious minorities in some countries & the urgency with which their lives & religious freedom have to be safeguarded,” he tweeted.
The Shor Bazar area of Kabul was once home to several gurdwaras but they were destroyed during the fighting in the 1980s. Many Hindus and Sikhs living in the area also migrated to other countries. Kabul is still home to several thousand Hindus and Sikhs.
HT
