Attack on Kabul Gurdwara hits entire civilised population of Afghanistan: Envoy
Earlier in the day, Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter to members of the Afghan Sikh community living in India.
Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, on Monday said the terror attack at Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul last Saturday was not just on the Sikh community’s place of worship, but the entire civilised population of Afghanistan.
An Afghan embassy delegation, including Mamundzay, was present at the 'Antim Ardas' of Sawinder Singh, who was one of the two persons killed in the attack, held in Tilak Nagar, Delhi. The second victim of the attack was a Taliban fighter. Seven others were injured in the incident.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Mamundzay said, “Sadly, this is not the first incident in the last few months. We condemn this violent and heinous attack.”
He said Sikhs have been living in Afghanistan for centuries and it is their country too. “We are in touch with several leaders and preparations are being made by the Indian government to bring those who are willing to come here,” the envoy added.
Earlier in the day, Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter to members of the Afghan Sikh community living in India. Puri also met Sawinder Singh's family members and took part in the Antim Ardas held at Gurudwara Guru Arjan Devji in Tilak Nagar.
The Islamic State Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the terrorist outfit Islamic States, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation to the insults levelled against Prophet Mohammad by now-removed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including Sikhs, have been targets of violence in the war-torn country. Two years ago, an attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara in Kabul's Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several others were injured. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack as well.
In view of the attack at the Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul, the Union home ministry on Sunday granted electronic visas to more than 100 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus on “priority” to facilitate their evacuation from the region.