Engagement With Taliban Is Best Way To Protect US Interests, Says US State Dept Spokesman

The Taliban's Ministry of Interior stated that in the Monday night attack at this mosque, six worshippers, including a woman and a child, had been killed.

Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Interior, said, "An unidentified armed individual open fired on worshippers with an AK-47."

Eyewitnesses reported that in this incident, several people, including women and children, were injured.

Mohammadi village in Guzara district is primarily inhabited by Hazaras, an ethnic and religious group that has been repeatedly attacked by ISIS.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) had condemned the recent attack on the Shia mosque in Guzara district, and called for an immediate investigation into the perpetrators of this incident.

UNAMA also urged the Taliban to take immediate action to protect the Shia community in Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front also condemned the attack and called it a "genocide and a crime against humanity”. It said that such acts aim to fuel sectarian disputes among Hazaras, Shias, and other ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

The National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan and the National Resistance Front, condemning the attack stated that such attacks are carried out by allied groups supported by the Taliban.

The court stated that all three individuals had been punished with 39 lashes each in the presence of local Taliban officials.

A statement from the court indicated that one of these individuals was sentenced to two years in prison, while the other two received six-month sentences.

The Taliban's Supreme Court said that these punishments had been implemented based on the decision of the Public Security Department of Khost City's primary court.

A week ago, the court also punished five individuals in Khost with 39 lashes each for theft and "moral corruption”.

The United Nations Human Rights Council recently reviewed Afghanistan's human rights record and expressed concern over the Taliban's use of corporal punishment.

In the session, many representatives of the international community urged the Taliban to halt corporal punishment and executions in Afghanistan.

However, the Taliban have repeatedly emphasised that they punish individuals based on "Sharia rulings”.

UNAMA also urged the Taliban to take swift action to protect the Shia community in Afghanistan.

Earlier, the Taliban's Ministry of Interior announced that in the attack on Monday night in the Guzara district of Herat, six worshippers had been killed and another was injured. Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesperson for the ministry, stated, "An unknown armed individual fired at worshippers in the mosque with a Kalashnikov."

Local residents reported to Afghanistan International that the incident occurred at a mosque in Mohammadia township. Eyewitnesses described the attackers as armed men on motorcycles, noting that several individuals, including women and children, were injured in the incident.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mohammadia township in the Guzara district is predominantly Hazara, an ethnic-religious group that has frequently been targeted by ISIS.

According to the ministry, 2,368 individuals returned from Iran, while another 260 returned from Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees posted on X social media platform that migrants residing in Iran and Pakistan entered Afghanistan from the Islam Qala and Torkham borders the previous day.

The Taliban did not disclose the number of migrants forcibly expelled from Iran, but stated that 260 individuals were forcibly expelled from Pakistan.

Taliban members stated that 10,000 Afs has been provided to 117 families returning from Iran.

The ministry added that migrants in need of assistance have been referred to the International Organisation for Migration and relief agencies.

He outlined that the border obstruction plan, which involves building a four-meter concrete wall, erecting barbed wire, and fencing, will be completed within three years.

According to reports from Iranian state media on Monday, Makfi declared the initiation of the project to obstruct Iran's eastern border with Afghanistan.

Makfi emphasised that the Iranian army has been responsible for guarding the border with Afghanistan since 2018, with Iranian forces stationed there.

Without further elaboration, this Iranian military official stated, "When politicians reduce their activities in the diplomatic arena, the army and armed forces take action."

Earlier, the President of Iran directed the allocation of three billion dollars to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran for this purpose.

The Iranian Deputy Interior Minister stated that the objective behind obstruction of the eastern borders with Afghanistan is to bolster security and curb human and weapon trafficking.

In February, the commander of the Iranian army's ground forces announced that the first phase of the border obstruction project between Afghanistan and Iran, spanning 74 kilometres, is in progress.

Officials from the Iranian Ministry of Interior report that over USD 20 billion worth of smuggled goods enter or leave Iran annually.