TEARS, ANGER OVER SUICIDE BLAST
Attacker targeted country’s minority Sikh and Hindu community
GRIEF mixed with anger ran high among Afghanistan’s minority Sikh and Hindu community yesterday as they mourned loved ones, including an election candidate, killed in a suicide attack.
At least 19 people were killed and 21 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus waiting to meet President Ashraf Ghani here on Sunday.
Scores of mourners shouted “death to Ashraf Ghani” and “death to the government” as they placed coffins in ambulances that would take them to a temple for funeral ceremonies.
Among the dead were 17 Sikhs and Hindus, officials said, including Avtar Singh, the only Sikh candidate running in the Oct 20 legislative elections, and Rawail Singh, a social activist.
“This attack has killed many of our elders, those who loved their country more than anything else,” Narendar Singh said as he took the body of his father, Avtar, from the hospital.
“We were the direct target. The government does not care about us.”
There are about 1,000 Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan. A majority live in Ghazni, Kabul and here.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ghani was here on Sunday as part of a two-day visit to the province. He was not harmed.
Narendar said 20 Sikhs and Hindus had planned to meet Ghani in the morning at the provincial governor’s compound but the meeting was postponed until the afternoon.
As their convoy neared the compound, they were stopped by security forces and ordered to get out of their cars to be checked.
“That was when a suicide bomber on foot detonated among us,” Narendar said.
Jagandar Singh, who lost his brother in the attack, said they would consider taking to “the streets in Kabul” to express their anger at the government’s inability to protect civilians.
“We have lost hope with this government,” he said.
“Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs are all brothers, but unfortunately under this government, none of them is safe.”