In brief
In a shocking incident, gunmen opened fire at a picnic site in the Enjil district of Herat province, killing at least four and injuring many, including women. Victims were primarily Hazara Shia Muslims visiting a local shrine. Conflicting reports have emerged about the death toll, highlighting ongoing tensions and violence against minority groups in Afghanistan.
Multiple people have been killed after gunmen targeted civilians at a picnic spot in western Afghanistan, officials and a local doctor have said.
There have been different reported death tolls from the attack in the Enjil district of Herat province on Friday. A Taliban interior ministry spokesperson reported seven fatalities, while a provincial official stated four had died.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to the interior ministry spokesperson, unidentified armed men riding motorcycles opened fire near the village of Deh Mehri, a popular recreational area typically busy on Fridays.
A doctor from a hospital in Herat shared that the victims were primarily Hazara Shia Muslims, noting that they had gathered for a picnic at a local shrine. He provided a higher casualty figure, claiming 12 people were dead and an additional 12 injured.
Shia Muslims, especially those from the Hazara ethnic group, are a small minority in Afghanistan and have faced violence previously.
Ahmadullah Muttaqi, the provincial head of information and culture in Herat, confirmed that the incident occurred at around 15:00 local time (11:30 BST), describing it as a terrorist attack on residents visiting Deh Mehri village.
Muttaqi stated that four bodies and 15 wounded individuals, including two women, were taken to the Herat regional hospital.
Security forces have arrested a suspect in connection with the attack. Interior ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani later mentioned that early reports indicated seven fatalities and 13 injuries, with several in critical condition.
The site of the violence is a Shia Muslim village with a shrine that is frequented by daily visitors seeking to pray.
