KABUL (SW) – António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations has condemned the death of 14 civilians in the Sang Takht and Bandar district of Daikundi province, said an official.
Speaking at a press conference late on Friday, September 13, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, read out Guterres call for enhanced protection for civilians in Afghanistan.
Dujarric stated, “The Secretary-General condemns the heinous attack on members of the Hazara and Shia communities that occurred in central Afghanistan yesterday (Thursday, September 12).”
On Thursday afternoon, September 12, armed motorcyclists attacked a group of 20 civilians between the villages of Qariodal in Sang Takht and Bandar District of Daikundi and Pahlusang in Ghor province. The attack resulted in 14 deaths and 6 injuries.
The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Simultaneously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the attack on civilians in Daikundi and called for an investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
UNAMA expressed its condolences to the victims’ families and demanded a thorough investigation to capture and prosecute the perpetrators of the attack.
According to UNAMA’s statement on their X account, “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and call for an investigation to apprehend and hold accountable those responsible for this attack.”
Karen Decker, the chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Afghanistan, has also condemned the recent massacre of residents in Daikundi and called for a swift response to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Eyewitness accounts
Mokhtar, one of the survivors currently hospitalized in Daikundi Provincial Hospital, recounted the harrowing incident. He described how four armed assailants, after taking photographs of them, opened fire.
“They stopped us and asked for our phones. They made us stand together and took photos. While one of them was filming, the other three began shooting,” Mokhtar said.
Residents of the Sang Takht and Bandar district in Daikundi have expressed shock and increased concern over the security of transportation routes connecting their province with neighboring areas.
Esmatullah Amiri, a local resident, said that the community is in a state of severe distress following the deaths of 14 people in the attack last Thursday. “People are in a state of severe mental and emotional distress, feeling unsafe. Many are worried about their safety on roads leading to Daikundi and Ghor, which are very remote and impassable,” he added.
Reza Jafari, another local, said that this is not the first time such an incident has occurred on the routes connecting Daikundi with neighboring provinces.
“In one village of about 29 houses, 13 people were killed and 4 others injured. Among the victims, one was elderly, and the rest were young people. Some families lost two or three members. This was a very tragic event. We hope that authorities will work to prevent such incidents in the future,” he said.
On Friday, September 14, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, condemned the attack as “brutal” and assured that efforts are underway to identify and prosecute those responsible.
