In early April, an attack on a Shiite place of worship in Herat, western Afghanistan, killed at least 11 people, according to AFP news agency, with local sources reporting higher casualty figures.
To date, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban authorities announced an investigation and promised to hold those responsible to account. However, no results have been reported so far.
In the past, the so-called “Islamic State in Khorasan” (ISKP) has regularly claimed responsibility for attacks on Shiite facilities. The silence in the Herat case has raised questions about possible perpetrators, the security situation and the authorities’ ability to provide protection.
Ethnic minorities vulnerable in Afghanistan
Niala Mohammad of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, a Washington-based advocacy group, sees the attack as a manifestation of a deeper-rooted problem.
“The recent attack in Herat underscores the ongoing vulnerability of the Shiite community in Afghanistan,” she said.
“The Taliban’s ultra-conservative Sunni interpretation of Islam labels Shiite Muslims as heretics. This characterization contributes to their vulnerability and increases their exposure to communal violence,” Mohammad told DW.