This story is from March 28, 2020

Shaken by bombing, Afghanistan Sikhs seek security, asylum

The suicide bombing of Kabul gurdwara, which killed 26 persons, including 25 Sikhs, has intensified the uncertainty faced by the Sikh community in war-ravaged Afghanistan. Worried for their lives, the miniscule Sikh community is seeking asylum in any country except Iran and Pakistan. All they want is a chance to give their children a safer and more prosperous life.
Shaken by bombing, Afghanistan Sikhs seek security, asylum
Security personnel at the gurdwara in Kabul after the terror attack
AMRITSAR: The suicide bombing of Kabul gurdwara, which killed 26 persons, including 25 Sikhs, has intensified the uncertainty faced by the Sikh community in war-ravaged Afghanistan. Worried for their lives, the miniscule Sikh community is seeking asylum in any country except Iran and Pakistan. All they want is a chance to give their children a safer and more prosperous life.

"The situation has become very tense for the Sikhs and we feel insecure. We want to leave Afghanistan and settle in some other country except Iran and Pakistan," said Afghanistan's Sikh member of parliament Narinder Singh while talking to TOI over the phone from Kabul on Friday.
Even as he ruled out the possibility of a conspiracy against the Sikhs of Afghanistan, he said they have been at the receiving end of terrorism. "This is not the first time that Sikhs have been targeted and killed in cold blood in Afghanistan. In the past also they have been targeted several times like the Muslims are targeted," said Narinder, adding that terrorist group Daesh (ISIS), was behind the gurdwara bombing.
Narinder's father Avtar Singh, who was the lone Sikh candidate during elections to the lower house of Parliament (Wolesi Jirga), was killed in an ISIS suicide attack at Jalalabad in July 2018. Narinder was later nominated as member parliament from the minority quota.
The Afghan parliamentarian said terrorists hurled two bombs near the boundary of Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib, which didn't go off and were later diffused by the anti-bomb squad.
"We are in touch with the Indian embassy in Kabul and they are cooperating with us. No Sikh wants to live in Afghanistan and we are ready to go to any other country except Iran and Pakistan since both are enemies of Afghanistan," said Narinder. According to him, more than 100 families of Sikhs are trying to migrate to a more peaceful place.
Delhi-based president of Afghan Sikh Hindu Welfare Society (ASHWS) Khajinder Singh said the community failed to understand why Sikhs were being targeted despite being a most peaceful community which always helped the poor and needy.
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