13 people were martyred by gunmen who attacked a minibus in north Afghanistan
At least 13 people were martyred by gunmen who attacked a minibus in north Afghanistan, local officials said. All victims belonged to the largely Shi’a Hazara ethnic minority that was persecuted by the hardline Sunni Taliban during their rule in 1996-2001, said Jafar Haidari, district governor of Zari in Balkh province. The attack began when masked gunmen stopped two small sedans in Zari district and proceeded to drag male passengers out of the cars and shoot them, said Abdul RazaqQaderi, the deputy police chief of Balkh. Taliban activities have been observed in the area in the past, but the group released a statement denying any involvement in the attack. Hazaras make up the third largest ethnicity in Afghanistan. As Shias, they are also a religious minority in Sunni-majority Afghanistan.
