India condemns terrorist attack on Gurdwara in Kabul

India on Saturday condemned a terrorist attack on Gurdwara Karte Parwan in the Afghan capital of Kabul, which killed at least two people and injured seven others and triggered fresh worries about the country’s Sikh minority.

A spokesperson for the Taliban’s interior ministry said the attackers had attempted to target the gurdwara with an explosives-laden vehicle but it was thwarted before it could reach the shrine. An Afghan Sikh and a Taliban fighter were killed in the attack and all the attackers were eliminated, the spokesperson said without giving details.

“The cowardly attack on Gurudwara Karte Parwan should be condemned in the strongest terms by all. We have been closely monitoring developments since the news of the attack was received. Our first and foremost concern is for the welfare of the community,” external affairs minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: “We are deeply concerned at the reports emanating from Kabul about an attack on a sacred gurdwara in that city.” He added that the Indian side is closely monitoring the situation.

A group of unidentified armed men stormed the gurdwara on Saturday morning when some 30 Sikh worshippers were inside the shrine. Several explosions were heard from within the shrine and the attack triggered a gun battle that lasted several hours.

The Taliban’s interior ministry said a number of unknown armed men had entered the gurdwara. The attackers used a grenade that injured two people, it said. Three attackers were killed by Taliban forces. The gun battle triggered a fire that extensively damaged the gurdwara, according to reports. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, though Sikh leaders in Kabul hinted the attackers may be members of Islamic State, which has carried out brazen attacks targeting minorities such as Shias and Sikhs over the past few years.