Mukhtar Wafayee - Independent Persian - Local sources in Nahrin district, Baghlan province, in northern Afghanistan, told Independent Persian that on Friday night, November 22, 11 Sufi worshippers were killed by unknown gunmen at the Shahr Kohna shrine in the district.
According to these sources, the worshippers, who had gathered weekly for years to pray and recite dhikr at the shrine, were shot while seated on their prayer mats. Photos shared with Independent Persian from the scene show prayer mats neatly arranged in a room, with the bodies of the worshippers lying close together.
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| Sufi Shah Din Mohammad was one of the victims |
A source in Nahrin, who requested anonymity, said, “Two of the victims were residents of Pul-e-Khumri city, while the other nine were from Shahr Kohna in Nahrin. These individuals gathered only for worship and Quran recitation and had no involvement in political or cultural activities.”
The source further noted that the group's nightly gatherings typically included Quran recitation, prayer, and dhikr, often lasting until midnight or even into the early morning hours.
Despite several hours having passed since the incident, Taliban spokespeople have not commented on the identity of the victims or the perpetrators. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
The Sufi community in Afghanistan has been the target of violent attacks multiple times in recent years. Shrines and worship sites of this community have been targeted by extremist groups, particularly ISIS. One of the deadliest attacks occurred in 2017 at a Sufi shrine in Kabul, leaving dozens dead and injured. These attacks are often ideologically motivated, as extremist groups view the practices and beliefs of the Sufi community as contradictory to their rigid interpretation of Islam.
Such incidents have heightened concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Afghanistan.
This attack comes as the Taliban claim to have restored security across Afghanistan. However, incidents like this raise serious concerns about their ability to protect vulnerable religious communities and unarmed civilians.
Previously, ISIS-Khorasan claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks on Sufi worshippers, but there is no information yet about the perpetrators or motives behind the attack in Nahrin.
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