A tragic attack occurred in a mosque in western Afghanistan’s Herat province, resulting in the death of six people, according to a government spokesman on Tuesday. The attack, which took place in the Guzara district around 9:00 PM local time on Monday, targeted Shia worshippers during their prayers.
Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani reported that an unidentified gunman opened fire on civilians gathered in the mosque. “Six civilians were martyred, and one civilian was injured,” he shared early Tuesday on the social media platform X.
Residents, however, provided a differing account, stating that the mosque served the minority Shia community and suggesting that the attack was carried out by three gunmen, not one as the official report claims. Ibrahim Akhlaqi, whose brother, the imam of the mosque, and a three-year-old child were among the victims, recounted, “One of them was outside, and two of them came inside the mosque, shooting the worshippers.”
The discrepancy in reports adds to the tension and grief of the community. Sayed Murtaza Hussaini, a local, expressed the gravity of the situation, noting, “Whoever was in the mosque has either been martyred or wounded.”
This incident reflects a broader pattern of violence that has been attributed to the regional chapter of the Islamic State (IS), known for targeting Shia communities in Afghanistan. Although no group has officially claimed responsibility for this recent attack, the IS remains a significant security threat in the region.
