Officials have confirmed that at least six civilians lost their lives and one was injured in a tragic incident where a gunman opened fire in a mosque in Afghanistan’s western province of Herat on the evening of April 29th. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Abdul Mateen Qani, revealed in a statement that an unidentified armed individual targeted worshippers in a mosque in Andisheh town of Guzara district in Herat province around 9 p.m. local time on Monday. The devastating incident resulted in the martyrdom of six civilians and left one person wounded, as reported by Qani on the social media platform X early the following morning.
Local media outlet Tolo, citing local sources, reported that the targeted mosque belonged to Afghanistan’s minority Shia community. Tragically, among the victims was a prayer leader, commonly referred to as an Imam, as per local media reports.
Expressing condemnation of the heinous attack, the Iranian embassy in Kabul issued a statement denouncing the violence. Similarly, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also condemned the attack, emphasizing the critical need for investigations to identify the perpetrators and ensure they are held accountable for their actions.
As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Despite the reduction in attacks since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, this incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing challenges facing the war-torn nation.
