11 killed in Kabul gurdwara attack, IS claims responsibility

AMRITSAR: Militants stormed the Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib in Kabul, Afghanistan ,on Wednesday morning spreading the reign of terror among the minuscule Sikh community of Afghanistan. As per the latest report, 11 people were killed in the attack.
IS said its fighters were currently carrying out an attack on the temple, according to a statement released by SITE, which monitors jihadist networks worldwide, according to a AFP report.
A local Sikh who didn’t wish to give his name informed TOI over phone from Kabul that the armed gunmen entered the gurdwara complex on Wednesday morning when sangat was offering prayers and started spraying bullets and hurled bombs.
The ministry of external affairs condemened the incident. "We strongly condemn the heinous terror attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul. Such cowardly attacks on places of worship of minority community especially at this time is reflective of the diabolical mindset of the perpetrators & their backers," official spokesperson, ministry of external affairs, Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

A frightened Sikh who along with his family lives in the gurdwara also sent a video informing about the incident.
In the video his family is seen huddled in the corner of the room . Many Sikh families of Kabul lives in the gurdwara which has around fifty rooms.
He is heard saying that he along with his uncle went out of the room at around 8 am when he spotted dead body of a security personal and two Sikhs.
“I saw a person in civil clothes and took him as a security official , I complained that you have come so late, every one has been killed , the person was actually a militant and opened fire on me , I had a narrow escape and then we ran to a nearby room” the person is heard saying in the video.
He further says that the militant then threw another bomb in Gurdwara which didn’t explode and was still there .
Afghanistan Sikh member parliament Narinder Singh , in a video , said that police was not allowing them to enter the gurdwara complex but according to locals everyone in the morning prayer had died.
(With inputs from agencies)