Iran Condemns Terrorist Attack in Afghanistan

Rasa - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly condemned the Monday terrorist attack in Afghanistan which resulted in the death of several Afghan religious scholars.

News ID: 438066

Date: 04 June 2018 - 23:11

RNA - "On the day that all religious scholars of Afghanistan had convened to discuss restoration of peace and security in their country, the dirty hands of terrorists created another crime," the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Qassemi sympathized with the Afghan government and people on the sad occasion.

"Once again, terrorists did not allow religious scholars of this country convey their message of humanity, compassion and mercy to the people of Afghanistan and also other nations," the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman added.

The terrorist attack in Afghanistan claimed lives of several Afghan scholars and left dozens of people wounded.

The explosion happened near a gathering of over 2,000 religious scholars at Loya Jirga, the Grand Assembly, tent close to Kabul Polytechnic University sharply after the Ulema issued a fatwa against the ongoing war in the country.

Kabul police said it was a suicide bombing.

“The suicide attack happened outside the (Loya Jirga) tent when religious scholars were leaving the gathering,” Kabul Police Spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said.

Stanikzai said according to their initial information, the explosion left seven people dead and nine others wounded.

Taliban denied any involvement in the attack.

During the gathering, the religious scholars issued a fatwa, an Islamic directive, against the ongoing war in the country.

For years, Afghanistan has been plagued by violence by militants, who often use suicide bombers and claim that their struggle is a holy war to impose Islamic rule.

“War in its all types is illegal according to Sharia and Islamic laws and it is nothing but shedding the blood of Muslims,” the religious scholars said in the fatwa.

According to Fars News Agancy, suicide attacks in Afghanistan are frequently condemned as fanatical and immoral, especially when civilians are killed, but insurgents view the tactic as their most effective weapon.

“Suicide attacks, explosions for killing people, division, insurgency, different types of corruption, robbery, kidnapping and any type of violence are counted as big sins in Islam and are against the order of the Almighty Allah,” the Afghan clerics said.

The religious scholars said that according to the Holy Quran, killing of Muslims is "Haram" and “illegitimate”.

The religious scholars repeated their call on the Taliban to accept the Afghan government’s “unconditional” peace offer.

847/940