ISIS-K claimed responsibility for a deadly explosion on Sunday in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of western Kabul, according to the group’s statement on its Telegram channel. The group claimed that 13 people from the Hazara community were killed or wounded in the attack.
Local sources confirmed to Amu that the blast resulted in the death of a 70-year-old man and injured 13 others, including four women and a 13-year-old teenager. The Taliban, however, reported 12 casualties, including one fatality.
Despite Taliban claims of having suppressed ISIS-K, residents of western Kabul, predominantly Hazaras and Shias, argue that their community remains vulnerable to attacks and that there are no effective measures in place to protect them. “We live in constant fear,” said one resident, noting that explosives had been planted in a Mercedes minivan.
“We have repeatedly witnessed such dangerous incidents. The terrorist groups of the Taliban and ISIS-K target Hazara-populated areas in western Kabul with the aim of exterminating the Hazara people,” another resident stated.
The attack drew swift condemnation from Afghan leaders, including former President Hamid Karzai, who described it as a “terrorist act” in a post on X. Roqia Saai, a human rights activist, emphasized that the Shia and Hazara people have faced continuous attacks in Afghanistan, particularly in western Kabul, where they have never felt secure and have often been targeted by both the Taliban and ISIS-K.
A review of ISIS-K attacks from January 1 to May 20, 2024, underscores the ongoing threat:
December 6, 2023: Five killed, 20 injured in Dasht-e-Barchi, Kabul.
January 9, 2024: Three killed, 13 injured in the Alokhil area of Kabul.
January 11, 2024: Three killed, 35 injured in Dasht-e-Barchi, Kabul.
March 21, 2024: 43 killed, 45 injured in a suicide attack in Kandahar, with most casualties being Taliban members.
April 20, 2024: One killed, four wounded in a roadside bomb in Kota-e Sangi, Kabul.
April 29, 2024: Seven killed, two wounded in an armed attack on Imam Zaman Mosque in Herat province.
May 7, 2024: Seven killed, 16 wounded in a motorcycle bomb in Badakhshan.
May 19, 2024: Six killed, including three foreign nationals, and eight wounded in an attack on tourists in Bamiyan province.
May 21, 2024: Six killed, 15 injured in a blast in Kandahar.
Military analysts argue that the Taliban are unable to ensure the security of Afghan citizens or effectively combat ISIS-K. “Once again, it has been proven that the Taliban’s claims of providing security are nothing but lies,” said Feraidon Abidi, the former head of Kabul’s criminal investigation department.
Despite the Taliban’s repeated assertions that ISIS-K has been suppressed, the continued attacks suggest otherwise.
