In the shadow of Syria: Contextualising Islamic State attacks against Shias in Afghanistan

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Abstract

On November 21, Kabul witnessed once again a major terrorist incident against a place of worship of a religious minority in the country. A suicide bomber attacked the Baqir-ul-uloom mosque from the inside by blowing himself up among the other worshippers belonging to the religious Shia community. The Shias constitute an estimated 15 per cent of Afghanistan’s population of about 30 million. The timing was strategically chosen since the Shias were celebrating the end of the important Arbaeen period, a 40- day mourning period to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and a Shia martyr. This occasion is one of the most important events in the Shia religious calendar. Like in several other attacks against Shia’s in Afghanistan this year, the Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the recent incident in which more than 30 people got killed and over 80 people were injured.