Chandigarh, June 19
The Centre has granted e-visa to over 100 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, say sources, a day after deadly attack by the Islamic State on a gurdwara in Afghan capital Kabul.
The attack on Saturday killed at least two people and injured seven, officials said, in a spate of violence targeting minorities and places of worship.
Grateful to @narendramodi ji,his team at @HMOIndia amp; @MEAIndia for considering and issuing visa to distressed #Afghan #Hindus amp; #Sikhs at #Kabul.It’s 0030 Hrs IST and all concerned officials have put in their best to facilitate at the highest level and processing the applications
— Puneet Singh Chandhok (@PSCINDIAN) June 18, 2022
Several blasts were reported near the Gurdwara Karte Parwan on Saturday, in the latest targeting of a place of worship of a minority community in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. India has slammed the “cowardly attack” and said it is closely monitoring the situation.
Three attackers were killed by the Taliban forces, the Pajhwok news agency reported.
Takor confirmed that at least one member of the Islamic Emirate forces and an Afghan Sikh national were killed in the incident. Seven others were injured and hospitalised.
According to the statement from the Interior Ministry, an explosive-laden vehicle aiming to target the place was thwarted before reaching its goal.
The gurdwara was attacked early in the morning when up to 30 people were inside.
Takor said a vehicle full of explosives was detonated outside of the gurdwara but that resulted in no casualties.
First the gunmen threw a hand grenade which caused a fire near the gate of the gurdwara, the Associated Press quoted the Interior Ministry spokesman as saying.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday strongly condemned the “cowardly attack” on a gurdwara in Kabul and said the government was closely monitoring the situation following the incident.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly condemned the attack and urged the Centre to extend immediate assistance to ensure the safety of minorities in the Afghan capital.
There were less than 700 Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan at the time of the 2020 attack. Since then, dozens of families have left but many cannot financially afford to move and have remained in Afghanistan, mainly in Kabul, Jalalabad and Ghazni, according to AP.
Since the Taliban took power in August last year, the country has seen continuing attacks by rival Sunni Muslim militant group Islamic State.
Saturday’s incident is the latest targeted attack on a place of worship of a minority community in Afghanistan.
In March 2020, at least 25 worshippers were killed and eight others injured when a heavily armed suicide bomber stormed Har Rai Sahib, a prominent gurdwara in the heart of Kabul, in one of the deadliest attacks on the minority Sikh community in the country.
The Islamic State terror group had claimed responsibility for the attack in the Shor Bazar area. With PTI inputs
