New Delhi: India has given e-visas to over 100 Sikhs and Hindus living in Afghanistan following a deadly terror attack on a gurudwara in Kabul, government sources said. The electronic visas have been given “on priority” to these people by the ministry of home affairs, they said.
The attack on the gurdwara in Afghanistan’s capital killed three people, including one Sikh man. Several blasts tore through Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul’s Bagh-e Bala neighbourhood on Saturday while Afghan security personnel thwarted a bigger tragedy by stopping an explosive-laden vehicle from reaching the place of worship of the minority community.
It was the latest targeted assault on a place of worship of the Sikh community in Afghanistan. The three attackers were killed by the Taliban forces. Since the Taliban took power in August last year, Afghanistan has seen continuing attacks by the Islamic State terror group.
IS claims responsibility
The Islamic State terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. IS made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website. It said the assault on “the Sikh and Hindu temple” was in response to alleged insults made against Prophet Muhammad by an Indian government official. It did not name the official.The IS said Abu Mohammed al-Tajiki, a member of the group, stormed the temple after killing the guard and then targeted the people inside with machine-gun fire and hand grenades. IS fighters outside the temple detonated four explosive devices and a car bomb targeting patrols of Taliban militia who tried to protect the temple. The battle ended after three hours, the Amaq report said.
