Beheadings provoke furious protest in Afghan capital
Date
11/11/2015 7:12:09 AM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Protesters march in Kabul Wednesday against the beheading of 7 peoplefrom the Hazara minority
The protest including people of all ages was one of the largest of its kind both against the Afghan government for failing to provide security in the country as well as against militant groups like the Taliban and Islamic State.
The bodies of the seven victims including one girl were carried more than 8 kilometers to the presidential palace as part of the protest.
Officials said the victims were from the minority Hazara community who were kidnapped a month ago. Earlier reports spoke of only six victims.
The crowds — including women carrying babies elderly couples schoolchildren and people of different ethnicities — chanted for the resignations of President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah and demanded punishments for the perpetrators of the beheadings.
“We are really angry about this especially the 9-year old girl killed with the hostages” said Somaya Sama a social activist in her 20s.
“Death to supporters of terrorism in Afghanistan” other protesters chanted in the cold and rain. “Death to Taliban and ISIS and their supporters.”
The presidential palace did not send out any officials to speak to the protesters.
Zabul where the beheadings occurred is one of the most hostile provinces in Afghanistan with several districts fully controlled by Taliban.
Militants from the Sunni extremist Islamic State group have also surfaced there.
“There is infighting between two factions of Taliban” in the province said Gul Islam Sial a spokesman for Zabul’s governor.
“Since the district is under Taliban control we cannot confirm which group carried out the beheadings.”
Recently a 19-year-old married woman was stoned to death by suspected Taliban militantsfor trying to elope with a manin Ghalmeen village of Ghor province.
The video of Rukhshana standing in a pitwith just her head above the ground screaming out a prayer as elders methodically stoned her to death shocked thousands of viewers and prompted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to orderaninvestigation into the 'heinous act'.
Many Afghan lawmakers and human rights activists condemned theincident which took place on October 25.
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