KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistani media have reported that at least four members of the Shiite and Hazara community have been killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen in the city of Quetta, in Balochistan province.
“Khorasan Diary,” citing the police, reported that the attack took place at around 8:00 a.m. local time today (Sunday, April 12) in the Sabzi Mandi area of Hazara Ganji in Quetta.
According to the report, the attackers opened fire on the victims and then fled the scene.
The outlet wrote that the attack has sparked a strong reaction from the local community, who blocked the western bypass road near the Hazara Town cemetery in protest.
According to Khorasan Diary, the protesters are demanding immediate action to identify the attackers and ensure justice for the victims.
So far, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hazaras in Balochistan, Pakistan, have previously been targeted in numerous deadly armed attacks.
Such incidents highlight the ongoing security challenges faced by minority communities in the region and raise concerns over their protection, as repeated attacks continue to instill fear and demand stronger measures from authorities to prevent further violence.
A report published eight months ago by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) warned that the Taliban have effectively “eradicated” religious freedom in Afghanistan by enforcing a single interpretation of Islam and targeting individuals with differing beliefs.
The commission noted that religious minorities have been particularly vulnerable under these conditions, facing discrimination, persecution, and serious threats to their safety.
USCIRF also called for urgent international action, emphasizing the need for protection mechanisms and resettlement pathways for Afghans at risk.
It recommended that the United States expand refugee protections, including the establishment of a Priority 2 (P-2) program, to support members of highly threatened religious groups, while warning that returnees to Afghanistan could face severe risks such as arbitrary detention and punishment.
In a separate report published four months ago, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO) stated that attacks by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) against Hazara and Shia populations in Afghanistan may amount to genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity under international law.
The report documented a pattern of systematic violence since 2016, including suicide attacks and bombings that have caused significant loss of life, injuries, and destruction.
According to AHRDO, ISKP has carried out dozens of suicide attacks and bombings over the years, with a notable increase in incidents after 2021, many of them specifically targeting Hazara and Shia communities.
The report also highlighted the group’s use of hate speech to justify violence, citing past attacks such as the bombing of the Kawsar-e Danish Educational Center in Kabul and killings in Daikundi as examples of the sustained and targeted nature of these assaults.
