25 killed, eight injured in attack on gurdwara in Afghanistan

In one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in Afghanistan, 25 persons were killed and eight injured after a heavily-armed gunaman stormed his way into a gurdwara in Kabul on Wednesday.

One of the deceased was Tian Singh, a 71-year old resident of Delhi.

The Ministry of Interior said Afghan special forces had killed the gunman. Around 80 people, including women and children, stranded inside the gurdwara were later rescued by the security forces, the ministry said.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group, which has already targeted Sikhs in Afghanistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the gurdwara in Shor Bazar area around 07:45 am (local time).

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Earlier, the country’s main militant group, the Taliban, denied their involvement in the attack on the gurdwara. Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that the militant group had no link with the attack in Shor Bazar area of Kabul.

On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Indian Embassy in Kabul was in touch with family members of the victims of the terror attack.

“Our Embassy @IndianEmbKabul has been in touch with Kabul security authorities. Have asked them to ensure adequate security onsite as well as safe return of families to their homes thereafter,” he tweeted.

Jaishankar added that efforts were on to bring back mortal remains of Singh from Kabul.