RASC News Agency: Zaher Tahir, the former Minister of Information and Culture, has asserted that the recent explosion in western Kabul is a direct result of “hatred” targeting the Hazara community. He cautioned that such animosity, whether deliberate or not, is steering Afghanistan toward a trajectory of escalating violence and instability. In a statement on X, Tahir condemned the explosion as a grievous act that further destabilizes the country. He characterized the attack as a clear manifestation of targeted hatred against the Hazara people.
Earlier, Khalid Zadran, the Taliban police spokesperson in Kabul, reported that on Sunday afternoon, a bomb planted in a passenger vehicle in Dasht-e-Barchi resulted in one fatality and eleven injuries. Tahir highlighted in his statement that ten of the victims were Hazara, underscoring that “the exact perpetrators and motives remain unclear, but it is evident that this attack is rooted in pervasive hatred within the country.”
He warned that such targeted violence against a specific ethnic group, referring to the Hazara, is pushing Afghanistan towards a perilous path reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide. The Rwandan genocide, involving the mass killing of over 800,000 Tutsi individuals by the Hutu majority, was officially recognized by the United Nations as genocide. Tahir further observed that “Rwanda did not descend into ethnic cleansing overnight. Gradually, hatred intensified to the point where nearly a million Tutsi were slaughtered by the Hutus in a brief period.” He criticized the current climate in Afghanistan, stating, “Today, any cleric or mullah can openly incite hatred against a specific ethnic group.”
In recent years, the surge in violence against the Hazara community has prompted Hazara activists globally to campaign for the recognition of the “Hazara Genocide.” Tahir’s remarks reflect this ongoing advocacy. Tahir served as a member of the Wolesi Jirga from 2010 to 2011 and as Governor of Bamyan from 2015 to 2019. Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, he briefly held the position of Acting Minister of Information and Culture. However, with the Taliban advancing towards Bamyan in 2021, he resumed his role as governor.
Following the Taliban’s rise to power, Tahir retreated from public view and later aligned himself with Mehdi Mujahid, the Hazara Taliban commander in Balkhab. After Mujahid’s death, Tahir abandoned his opposition to the Taliban and subsequently left Afghanistan.
It is noteworthy that the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the recent explosion.
