Kabul gurdwara attack

Kabul gurdwara attack
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Kabul gurdwara attack is located in Kabul
Kabul gurdwara attack
Kabul gurdwara attack (Kabul)
LocationGurdwara Har Rai Sahib, Shor Bazaar, Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates34°30′43″N 69°11′13″E / 34.512°N 69.187°E / 34.512; 69.187
DateMarch 25, 2020 (2020-03-25)
07:45 – 14:00 (AFT (UTC+04:30))
TargetSikhs
Attack type
Shooting, suicide bombings
Deaths25
Injured8+
PerpetratorsJoint cell of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province and Haqqani network members
AssailantsAbu Khalid al-Hindi

On 25 March 2020, ISIS gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib (a Sikh shrine) in Kabul, Afghanistan.[1][2]

About 200 worshipers were reported to have been in the building, in which 25 Sikh worshippers were killed and leaving at least 8 wounded after an hour-long siege which ended in all assailants being killed by responding security forces.[3][4][5] At least one child was said to have been among people who were killed, according to the ministry of interior's statement.[6]

The Islamic extremist and militant organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has claimed responsibility.[7] The gunmen were identified as Abu Khalid al-Hind and Murshid Mohammed T.K.J both Indian citizens from the state of Kerala.[8] Abu Khalid al-Hindi, whose real name is Mohammed Sajid Kuthirummal, and Murshid Mohammed T.K.J hail from Kasargod in Kerala, India and had joined ISIS like many others from his state. Owing to the large number of youth joining ISIS from Kerala, ISIS reportedly opened a Hind division to accumulate the Malayalam speaking fighters who had difficulty in communicating with other fighters.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "11 killed in Kabul gurdwara attack, IS claims responsibility". Yudhvir Rana. The Times of India. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Afghanistan conflict: Militants in deadly attack on Sikh temple in Kabul". BBC News. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Kabul Sikh temple siege: Dozens killed in attack claimed by ISIL". www.aljazeera.com. Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Gunmen in Afghanistan kill 25 at Sikh complex, Islamic State claims responsibility". Reuters. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Gunmen attack Sikh religious complex in Kabul, says Afghan official". Archived from the original on 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  6. ^ "25 killed as Islamic State gunman takes hostages in Kabul Sikh temple". The Telegraph. March 25, 2020 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Islamic State claims Kabul attack on Sikh minority". Sayed Salahuddin. Washington Post. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference ABC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).