As a regional body representing North American Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities, with 26 Shia Islamic Centres across United States and Canada, NASIMCO condemns the most recent attack on the Shi’a Hazara community in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Thirty-five young women and children were martyred, with at least 82 others wounded on Friday, September 30, 2022, after a suicide bombing at the Kaj Education Center in Dasht-e- Barchi in Western Kabul. The majority of those killed were young Hazara girls and women, gathered to take a mock university exam. The Hazara Shi’a community have been the target of violence and persecution as ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan.
NASIMCO condemns these barbaric acts of violence against the Shi’a of Afghanistan, specifically against innocent children and youth sitting for their exams, working to build a brighter future for themselves and their community. We must urge authorities across the globe to ensure educational facilities, teachers, and students are protected.
NASIMCO stands with the Hazara people of Afghanistan in their call for protection and safety against targeted attacks. We urge nation states across the globe to take all necessary steps to ensure the security of Shi’a Muslims in Afghanistan and across the globe.
We pray for the safety, security, and healing of our Hazara brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and pray for a time in which Hazara Shi’as are safe to practice their faith without fear of violence.
NASIMCO Secretariat
October 3, 2022