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.”
Amidst the continuation of systematic assassinations in Herat, six individuals, including two religious scholars, have recently been killed. According to local sources, this deadly incident occurred on Friday, December 1, in the Jebrael township, and is attributed to unidentified armed individuals.
Local sources, who provided information to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, confirm that individuals armed and driving a “Folder” car attacked a three-wheeler carrying passengers. This assault led to six casualties, including the deaths of two Shia religious scholars, and injuries to three others.
A local source provides details, stating, “At approximately 2:00 in the afternoon, a white ‘Folder’ car stopped in front of the three-wheeler. Subsequently, the individuals took out a gun from under their shawl, fired at the passengers, and then quickly fled.”
According to published information, among the victims of last week’s attacks were Mohammad Hassan Hamidi, the imam of Abufazl Mosque, and Mohammad Taqi Sadiqi, the imam of Rasul Aazam Mosque.
The Taliban have not shown any immediate reaction to this incident, but the group’s Ministry of Interior issued a statement hours later, labeling it a terrorist attack. The Taliban’s statement did not indicate any intention to investigate this case.
This comes as, previously, two religious scholars in Herat fell victim to gunfire. Sheikh Rajab Akhlaqi and Khadem Hussain Hedayati were shot while heading to the mosque for the noon prayer in front of the “Sayed ul-Shohada Mosque” in Jebrael township.
Previously, unidentified individuals attacked Eid Mohammad Etemadi, a Shia religious figure. They forcefully extracted him from his home during the night in the Enjil district of Herat province, subjecting him to gunfire. This incident occurred 33 days ago in the village of Khoshrood within the same district.
In the last month, Herat province has witnessed the targeted killings of not only Shia religious scholars but also former jihadist commanders and notable national figures. Sher Ahmad Ahmadi, a former jihadist commander affiliated with Mohammad Ismail Khan, the former governor of Herat, fell victim to an attack in the Enjil district. According to sources, unidentified armed individuals targeted him on Saturday, November 11, in the village of Ahmadi.
While the identity of the assailant group targeting this former jihadist commander remains unclear, an individual close to Ismail Khan confirms that the Taliban shot the commander. Ismail Khan himself has previously acknowledged that the Taliban were responsible for the killing of this former jihadist commander.
Meanwhile, Hasht-e Subh Daily’s investigations reveal that within less than four days, two individuals in the Guzara district of Herat fell victim to fatal shootings. On Sunday, November 19, at around 11:30 AM, 33-year-old Abdul Ghaffar was fatally shot in the village of “Qasr-e Anbiya.” Sources indicate that the young man was killed with a pistol while tending to his fields.
Furthermore, on Thursday night, November 23, another notable local figure in the village of “Ghoran” in the Guzara district of Herat became the target and victim of an attack.
Verified sources indicate that on Thursday night around 7 PM, Mohammad Naib was shot by unidentified armed individuals while heading towards the mosque for prayer. Meanwhile, in another mysterious incident, the body of a young man was discovered in the village of Sarustan in the Enjil district of Herat.
Despite the ongoing series of mysterious assassinations in Herat, the Taliban have not shown a serious response to these events. However, after residents of Jebrael brought the bodies of the victims to the streets and demanded justice, local Taliban officials in Herat attributed these killings to their opponents.
Noor Ahmad Islamjar, the Taliban governor of Herat, stated during a meeting with protesters and the relatives of those killed last Friday that opposing factions to the Taliban cannot confront the group and resort to sowing discord and exploiting ethnic and religious differences.
Targeted assassinations, especially singling out Shia scholars in Herat, have ignited the ire of the residents in Hazara-populated regions. Through protests, they have voiced their calls for security and the apprehension of the culprits. It is uncertain how the Taliban will address the grievances of Herat’s Hazaras, but some argue that those behind these targeted killings are associated with the Taliban, persisting in the past practice of executing chain murders under the cover of unidentified armed individuals.
