Photos by Hakim Muzaher Mahdi Zartosht, Latif Azimi & Mohammad Rohani ©HPIN
On Friday, 25 July 2014, Afghanistan’s Hazaras were once again the victim of terror and persecution because of their ethnicity and religion. The suspected Taliban fighters stopped the three vans – two heading to the capital of Kabul and one on its way from Kabul to Cheghcheran – in the Lal and Sarjungal district.
They separated the 14 Hazara passangers from 32 others after checking peoples’ identifications cards, and subjected them to torture and shot them dead.
Just a couple of weeks before this heart wrenching and brutal killing, Taliban killed over a 100 civilians in Argon or Paktika.
This latest atrocity happens after the murder of 17 Hazaras in Gizab district of Urozgan on 1st July, bringing the total number of Hazara civilians killed to over 30 in two separate acts of brutality by the Taliban. There are also unconfirmed reports of six Hazara University students beheaded a couple of weeks back in Maindan Wardak province.