Thousands Attend Funeral for 11 Killed in Herat Attack

HERAT, Afghanistan — Thousands attended the funeral procession and burial on Monday of 11 victims killed in an armed attack by unidentified motorcyclists near a Shia shrine in Herat province's Injil district.

The attack took place last Friday at a recreational site near the shrine. Taliban officials reported eight people wounded and announced the arrest of one suspect. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident, which is among sporadic attacks reported since 2021.

The ceremony unfolded under heavy security, with mourners chanting against the perpetrators and demanding unity, punishment for the attackers, and improved security for Shia religious sites.

Mojtaba Akbari, a 40-year-old mourner, said he lost his father and two brothers in the attack. He described one relative in a coma and three others requiring treatment abroad.

Alireza Hosseini, another attendee, reported that people from all sects and social classes rushed to donate blood in the aftermath of the attack.