A bomb exploded near Karte Parwan Gurudwara in Kabul on Wednesday, a month after the holy place was attacked by members of the Islamic State. “Members of the Sikh and Hindu communities are reported to be safe. Further details are awaited,” said Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum.
Last month, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) attacked the Gurudwara, which claimed lives of dozens of Sikhs and Taliban members. Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been targets of violence in Afghanistan.
The Taliban, which rose to power in August 2021, claims to have secured the country but repeated terrorist attacks not only contradict those claims but also give weight to the international community’s concerns of a potential risk of militancy resurgence. Observers believe that such attacks could set off a new wave of terrorism in the country with smaller groups receiving tacit support from insiders. And this they believe, has been the primary reason behind the US and the West not involving themselves in rebuilding the war-torn country.
Prior to the Taliban’s takeover last year, Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan numbered only approximately 600. Reports indicate that that number has dramatically decreased. Those remaining have been the subject of targeted attacks predominantly by Sunni radical groups. The targeted attacks have driven Sikhs and Hindus out of the country, especially those with the economic and social resources to relocate.