10/25/2020

Afghanistan: 30 people die in suicide bombing

A call for better protection of the Shiite minority after terrorist attack (Press Release)

Following the violent death of 30 people in a terrorist attack against a private school for Shiite pupils in Afghanistan, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) calls for better protection of the Shiite minority. According to the human rights organization, the ongoing terrorist attacks against religious minorities in Afghanistan are a clear sign that it will be necessary to find an agreement with the Taliban regarding the protection of religious and ethnic minorities. So far, the human rights of minorities have been ignored in the negotiations. "The barbaric terrorist attack against young people – who are important for the development and the future the country – is a wake-up call to protect the minority groups more effectively," emphasized Ulrich Delius, the STP's Director, in Göttingen on Sunday.

On Saturday, 30 people were killed and 70 injured in a suicide attack against the Kowsar-e-Danish private school in a Shiite district of Kabul. Most of the victims were between 16 and 25 years old and had waited outside the entrance to enter the school. When security personnel became suspicious, the assassin blew himself up before he could enter the building. The authorities had initially reported 18 dead, but the number of victims has increased in the meantime.

Dozens of Shiite youth have already died this year in terrorist attacks on their schools in Kabul. "It is scandalous that there are no systematic efforts to fight these crimes against humanity – and those who are responsible for the violence are not held accountable. How many more attacks on schools in Afghanistan before the international community understands that there can be no peace in Afghanistan without better protection for religious minorities," Delius asked.

The terrorist organization Islamic State took responsibility for the attack. With targeted terrorist acts against the Shiite minority, it has been trying to stir up conflicts between Sunnis and Shiites for many years.