ISIS has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack that occurred on Tuesday at a Halo Trust facility that left 10 people dead and 16 others wounded. The terrorist group’s affiliate, known as IS-K, has owned up to the brutal killings against the international demining charity. Afghani officials initially blamed the Taliban for the attack, which occurred in the northern Baghlan province. According to the company’s CEO, there were around 110 men from local communities in the camp at the time of the attack. According to the CEO, James Cowan, the attackers demanded to know which employees were from the Shiite Hazara ethnic minority.
Cowan also stated that the Taliban came to the worker’s aid, forcing the gunmen to flee the scene. The Hazara has been previously targeted in attacks perpetrated by IS-K, notably last month’s horrific attack on a girls’ school located in Kabul that left 85 people dead. The Taliban, which is fighting to overthrow the Afghani government, denied involvement in the attack and condemned the brutal killings. Despite the attack, Cowan stated that the charity still has work to do and will not be leaving the region.
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