The Ministry of External Affairs in India said that they were monitoring the situation in Kabul and added that the ‘cowardly attack ‘on Gurudwara Karte Parwan should be condemned in the strongest terms by all.
This picture taken on December 31, 2021 shows an Afghan Sikh priest carrying the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, after offering prayers at the Karte Parwan Gurdwara temple in Kabul. AFP
At least two explosions hit a busy road near a Sikh Gurdwara in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Saturday, according to media reports. Unidentified gunmen stormed Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. India World Forum President Puneet Singh Chandhoke said that at least two people have been killed and the fate of the several others remains unknown as they were taken to hospital by emergency workers.
The blast occurred in the Karta Parwan area of Kabul, Tolo news tweeted along with the video of the blast. Karte Parwan Gurudwara is located in the area. The casualties in the blast were unknown.
Afghanistan-origin Sikhs living in Delhi, said they have received calls from Gurnam Singh informing them about the attack.
Abdul Nafi Takor, a Taliban-appointed spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, confirmed the attack but did not provide further details or say whether there were casualties, The Associated Press reported.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
The Islamic State group known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province has in the past claimed responsibility for attacks on mosques and minorities across the country.
Puneet Singh Chandhok, president of the Indian World Forum, said Gurnam Singh had informed that the terrorists had launched a major attack. He called for the immediate repatriation of minorities from Afghanistan
BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa has said that he spoke to Singh who informed him that the incident occurred at 6 am local time when a granthi was going inside the gurdawara for morning ‘parkash’ of the Guru Granth Sahib. ‘Parkash’ is the first prayer in any gurdwara.
As per The Indian Express, Singh also added that casualties are suspected owing to the incident. There are nearly 150 Afghan Sikhs who are still in the country.
“We heard a huge blast in Kart-e-Parwan neighbourhood at around 6 am local time. The blast was followed by another explosion which occurred about half an hour after the first blast. The whole place has now been sealed off,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an eyewitness as saying.
The security forces have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures, he said.
The blast sent a column of thick smoke into the sky and triggered panic, the witness said.
“There is fear of possible casualties. Several warning shots were also fired by the security forces,” he added.
There has been no official statement about the incident so far.
Community leaders estimate just 140 Sikhs remain in the Taliban-ruled country, mostly in the eastern city of Jalalabad and the capital Kabul.
Deeply concerned, says India
India on Saturday said it is deeply concerned over reports of an attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul and is closely monitoring the situation.
“We are deeply concerned at the reports emanating from Kabul about an attack on a sacred Gurudwara in that city,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and waiting for further details on the unfolding developments,” he said.
Bagchi was responding to media queries on the reported attack on the Gurudwara. Even External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted about the attack, saying it should be condemned in “strongest terms by all”.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly condemned the attack and urged the Centre to extend immediate assistance to ensure the safety of minorities in the Afghan capital.
Not the first time
Over the years the community has faced repeated attacks and at least 25 people were killed in March 2020 when gunmen stormed a Sikh temple.
The jihadist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, which forced many Sikhs to leave the country even before the Taliban returned to power.
IS has a history of targeting Afghan Sikhs, Hindus and other members of minority communities — including Muslim Shiites and Sufis.
A string of bombings hit the country during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ended in Afghanistan on April 30, some of them claimed by IS.
The deadliest was in the northern city of Kunduz, where a bomb targeting Sufi worshippers tore through a mosque killing at least 36 people.
IS is a Sunni Islamist group, like the Taliban, but the two are bitter rivals.
The Taliban have pursued an Afghanistan free from foreign forces, whereas IS wants an Islamic caliphate stretching from Turkey to Pakistan and beyond.
Taliban officials insist their forces have defeated IS, but analysts say the jihadist group remains a key security challenge.
With inputs from agencies
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