8am: In the last two years, the Taliban have consistently asserted the establishment of comprehensive security across Afghanistan. Despite this claim, the group has not only carried out targeted killings of former government security forces and political opponents but has also orchestrated numerous attacks against Hazara Shia positions, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Recently, Herat has witnessed a wave of deliberate and organized assassinations targeting the Hazara community. Reports indicate that in the past month alone, 13 individuals, including religious scholars and ethnic leaders, have fallen victim to public murders. Notably, the victims comprise five Shia religious scholars, a former jihadist commander, and a prominent ethnic figure—all assassinated in Herat. Surprisingly, the Taliban have neither pursued nor prosecuted any perpetrators responsible for these killings. Residents of the Jebrael township in Herat province, predominantly Hazara and Shia, express concerns over the escalating targeted assassinations, alleging that these killings are part of an ongoing “Hazaras’ genocide.” Click here to read more (external link).
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