What's happened
A gunman attacked a Shiite mosque in Herat province, Afghanistan, killing six worshippers, including a woman and a child. The Islamic State Khorasan claimed responsibility for the attack, targeting the minority Shiite community. The Taliban government has launched an investigation into the incident.
Why it matters
The attack on the Shiite mosque in Afghanistan highlights the ongoing sectarian violence in the region, particularly targeting minority communities. The incident underscores the security challenges faced by religious minorities in the country and raises concerns about the ability of the Taliban government to protect vulnerable groups. The attack could exacerbate tensions between different religious sects and impact the stability of the region.
What the papers say
The Independent and Al Jazeera both reported on the attack on the Shiite mosque in Herat province, with The Independent focusing on the Islamic State's claim of responsibility and the history of sectarian violence in Afghanistan. Al Jazeera highlighted the government's response to the attack and the condemnation from the Iranian embassy in Kabul.
How we got here
Afghanistan has a history of sectarian violence, with attacks on minority Shiite communities by extremist groups like ISIS-K. The Taliban government, which came to power in 2021, has pledged to protect religious and ethnic minorities but continues to face challenges in maintaining security and stability in the country.
More on these topics
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Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
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The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war within that country.
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Herāt is the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated in the fertile valley of the Hari River in the western part of the country.
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The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, officially known as the Islamic State and also known by its Arabic-language acronym Daesh, is a militant group and a former unrecognised proto-state that follows