BBC Online: So-called Islamic State has said it was behind an attack on a protest march in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that killed at least 61 people and wounded 200. The IS-linked Amaq news agency said two fighters “detonated explosive belts at a gathering of Shia” in Kabul. The attack in Deh Mazang square targeted thousands from the Shia Hazara minority who were protesting over a new power line, saying its route bypasses provinces where many of them live. The Taliban have condemned the attack. Spokesperson Zabiullah Mujaheed sent an e-mail to the media saying they were not behind it. IS has a presence in eastern Afghanistan but has not previously admitted carrying out assaults in the capital. ‘Death to discrimination’ A freelance journalist working for BBC Afghan said blood and body parts were everywhere, with debris strewn around. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was “deeply saddened”, adding: “Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen, but opportunist terrorists infiltrated the crowds and carried out the attack, killing and injuring a number of citizens including some security forces.” A large part of Kabul’s city centre had been sealed off for the protest march. The demonstrators had waved banners and chanted “death to discrimination”, angry that the 500kV power transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul would not pass through Bamyan and Wardak provinces, which have large Hazara populations. The Hazaras – mostly Shia Muslims – live mainly in the centre of the country. They complain of persistent discrimination, especially during Taliban rule in the late 1990s, when many of them fled to Pakistan, Iran and Tajikistan. The Taliban and Islamic State have been locked in frequent battles in Afghanistan since January 2015. The Taliban’s dominance in a region home to numerous local and foreign militant groups is facing a serious challenge from IS, which has been gaining some support. There has also been evidence that IS is trying to recruit Taliban fighters, with several Taliban commanders declaring allegiance to IS.
