Hundreds of people marched in Herat to protest the attack on Shia civilians, calling for protection of religious sites, freedom of belief and action against extremist ideology.
Residents held the demonstration during the funeral of victims killed in Friday’s shooting.
On Tuesday, April 14, protesters issued a resolution stating that the attackers insulted Shia religious beliefs during the assault.
The resolution said the gunmen carried out the attack “calmly and without haste” and left the scene in an orderly manner.
It also noted that although multiple security checkpoints had existed along the route to the shrine in previous days, none were present on the day of the attack.
Citing eyewitness accounts, the statement added that Taliban security forces did not arrive at the scene until around 45 minutes after the incident.
Protesters called on the Taliban to support the wounded and the victims’ families and urged the use of community forces to secure places of worship and strengthen security measures.
They also demanded tracking of victims’ mobile phones, which were reportedly taken by the attackers.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in Herat to protest the killing of civilians.
Residents were demonstrating against the deaths of at least 11 people and injuries to another 11 in the province.
On Friday afternoon, four unidentified gunmen opened fire on Shia civilians near a shrine in Injil district. According to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, at least 11 civilians were killed and 11 others wounded in the attack.
