On April 10, 2026, armed attackers riding motorcycles opened fire on a group of Shia citizens in the village of Dahmiri in the Injil district of Herat Province, Afghanistan, resulting in a large number of casualties — including men, women, and children — killed and wounded.
According to preliminary information, local residents who had gathered near the shrine known as “Sayed Mohammad Agha” were targeted by these armed individuals.
Furthermore, evidence obtained indicates that this was a targeted attack; the attackers, over a relatively prolonged period and amid a delayed response from security forces, first separated the women and children from the men, and then began to kill the men.
Attacks on religious gatherings and the targeting of religious minorities constitute not only a deeply alarming act and a clear violation of fundamental human rights principles, but also reflect the failure of the de facto authorities to ensure the security of citizens. In addition, the de facto authorities have severely obstructed the recording and publication of accurate casualty figures, effectively blocking access to information on the matter.
Rawadari, while expressing its deepest condolences and solidarity with the families of the victims, strongly condemns this deadly attack and calls on the de facto authorities to conduct a transparent, comprehensive, and impartial investigation; to identify the perpetrators and planners; and to prosecute and punish them in accordance with international standards. We likewise call on the de facto authorities to take effective and immediate measures — in fulfillment of their legal obligations — to ensure the security of citizens and, in particular, to protect religious minorities, and to prevent the recurrence of such attacks.
At the same time, the international community and human rights organizations are urged to examine this shocking incident in accordance with international standards, and — taking into account the high level of vulnerability of religious minorities in Afghanistan — to put in place the necessary measures to support, monitor, and strengthen the mechanisms that protect them.
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