HERAT: At least seven people were killed and one other injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a rickshaw carrying two Shiite clerics in western Afghanistan on Friday, an official from Herat said.
The official from the intelligence department Herat told western media that the incident happened in the Kora Milli area of the city, resulting the death of seven people whereas one person was injured.
According to the locals among the deceased four women were also included while the two clerics riding the vehicles also lost their lives.
“They were returning home in a three-wheeler (Rickshaw)… when they met the incident and became target by unknown gunmen,” a local in the area told AFP.
Attacks on Shiites Clerics in Afghanistan
He further said that prime target of the shooter was probably the two religious Shiites scholars who were riding on the vehicle.
Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and are drawn mostly from the Hazara community. They are facing frequent attacks from the militants, particularly from the Islamic State (IS) group, who consider them heretics.
It is worth noting here that violence has reduced dramatically since the Taliban ended their guerilla warfare after seizing power in August 2021. However, some armed groups, particularly the regional chapter of IS remained active and still a threat to the war-torn country.
