RASC News Agency: Local sources report that on Saturday, unidentified individuals stabbed a mosque cleric to death in Khas Uruzgan district. The sources identified the victim as Rustam Rahimi, a Hazara, who was killed inside a mosque in the Sheshpar area. The perpetrators of this murder remain unknown, but the community views this incident as part of a pattern of killings that have occurred since the Taliban’s takeover. Since the Taliban assumed control, there have been numerous mysterious and overt killings in this district, with many individuals being arrested, tortured, and murdered by Taliban members.
Last year, UNAMA confirmed violence and killings against Hazaras in Khas Uruzgan district. Local residents reported that on Saturday, July 20, two unidentified individuals lured Rustam Rahimi to the mosque and killed him. His body was found bearing signs of torture and covered in blood. Residents of Sheshpar stated that this marks the twenty-first killing of local inhabitants over the past three years.
According to sources, after the cleric’s murder, Taliban members visited the crime scene and claimed they would investigate the matter. However, it remains unclear whether the Taliban are genuinely pursuing the case. Many locals accuse the Taliban of being involved in the systematic killings of Hazaras, suggesting that numerous mysterious murders are carried out by Taliban members. Last year, UNAMA reported recording the murder of six Hazaras in Khas Uruzgan district from July to September, although it did not identify the perpetrators.
In recent years, there have been reports of fruit trees being cut down and homes and properties set on fire in Khas Uruzgan district. Last year, local sources from Uruzgan province reported that in the past two years, 14 residents of the Jui Naw (Shashpar) village in Khas Uruzgan district were systematically and deliberately killed. Human rights organizations assert that Hazaras face violence under Taliban rule due to their ethnicity and religion.
Amnesty International has repeatedly highlighted systematic attacks on the Hazara community in Afghanistan, describing these acts as crimes against humanity.
