Afghanistan: Three Ismaili Muslims Killed in Separate Jihadist Attacks Over the Past Month

Image: Jihad Watch

Three members of Afghanistan’s Ismaili community have been killed in separate shooting incidents over the past month in the northern provinces of Takhar and Badakhshan, according to local sources, raising fresh fears among the minority group about their safety and lack of accountability.

The most recent killing took place on Thursday evening in Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province. Armed assailants shot dead Mohammad Shah, an Ismaili resident originally from the Shighnan district. Shah was employed at a private office in the province and was attacked in the Dasht-e-Qargh area while returning home after buying bread from a local bakery. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen fled the scene immediately after the shooting, leaving Shah dead on the spot.

Just days earlier, another Ismaili man, identified as Khodaydad, was killed in Takhar province’s Warsuj district. Local sources told Afghanistan International that Khodaydad was shot in front of his wife and children, intensifying the shock and trauma for the family and the wider community. The killing reportedly occurred only two days after Khodaydad had lodged a formal complaint following the death of a close relative.

According to residents, Khodaydad was related to Ghulam Naser, an Ismaili man who was killed around 20 days earlier. Naser had reportedly travelled with Zahidullah, a former Taliban intelligence chief in Warsuj district, on a trip to search for gold when he was killed. After Naser’s death, Khodaydad pursued a complaint against Zahidullah, seeking justice and clarification over the circumstances of the killing. Local sources allege that Khodaydad’s murder followed shortly after this complaint was filed.

While local residents have accused members of the Taliban of involvement in these killings, no independent verification or official confirmation has been made, and the Taliban authorities have not publicly commented on the incidents. The lack of transparent investigations has further deepened mistrust and anxiety among affected communities.

These killings have heightened concerns within Afghanistan’s Ismaili community, a religious minority primarily concentrated in parts of Badakhshan and other northern provinces. Community members fear growing insecurity, targeted violence, and the absence of effective accountability mechanisms under Taliban rule. The recent incidents underscore broader challenges facing religious minorities in Afghanistan, particularly amid ongoing uncertainty over the rule of law, protection of civilians, and access to justice.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)