On the second anniversary of the deadly attack on the Kaaj Educational Center in western Kabul, widespread calls for an end to what many describe as the “Hazara genocide” have intensified.
The attack, which took place on September 30, 2022, left 54 people dead and 110 others injured, according to the United Nations. Most of the victims were young Hazara students.
The attack was claimed by the Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K or Daesh.
In response, activists around the world launched campaigns to condemn the violence and bring attention to the ongoing persecution of the Hazara community, a predominantly Shiite Muslim minority in Afghanistan that has long faced discrimination and targeted violence.
Vigils were held in several countries, including Pakistan, Germany, Canada, and the United States, where participants lit candles in memory of the victims. Protesters also chanted slogans demanding an end to the “Hazara genocide” and urged the international community to recognize the systematic violence against the Hazara people.
“We call on the international community to recognize the genocide of Hazaras,” said one protester. In Canada, Member of Parliament Chandra Arya joined demonstrators, expressing solidarity with Afghan citizens and emphasizing the need to ensure the safety of the Hazara people in Afghanistan. “As I have been doing for the last two years, I continue to advocate for the safety and security of the Hazara community in Afghanistan,” Arya said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
Similar calls for justice were made in other countries. In Pakistan, a group of Hazara women held a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the Kaaj victims, urging the global community to address the violence targeting their community.
The anniversary of the attack also comes amid fresh concerns over Hazara safety in Afghanistan. In mid-September, an attack claimed by ISIS-K in Daikundi Province left 14 Hazara pilgrims dead as they were returning from the Karbala shrine in Iraq.
Protesters across the globe are urging the United Nations and world governments to take stronger action to protect Hazaras from ongoing violence, which many describe as a systematic campaign of ethnic and religious persecution.
