At least five people, including a woman and a child, were killed yesterday evening (Monday) in an attack by an armed man on worshippers at a Shia mosque in Herat, and three others were injured.

Worshippers at a mosque in the Mohammadiya town in Guzara district in the western part of Herat were targeted during evening prayers.

Abdul Hakim Sadaqat, a resident of Herat, said about the attack: “Mr. Javid's prayer mat was soaked in blood, and Hafiz had been shot in the head.”

Azizullah, another resident of Herat, stated: “The martyrs were lying blood-soaked in the mosque, and the children and women who were injured were making a lot of noise.”

Security officials in Herat said that the identity of the attackers is still unclear, and they attackers have managed to escape. 

According to security officials, investigations by the security forces regarding how this attack occurred and the arrest of its perpetrators are underway.

“Security forces arrived at the scene after being informed, and investigations are currently ongoing to arrest those responsible for this incident,” said Abdullah Ensaf, the spokesperson for the Herat Security Command.

The bodies of the victims of this bloody attack were buried near their village, and thousands of Herat residents participated in the funeral ceremony of the victims.

Mohammad Zaman, a resident of Herat, said: “It is the nation's demand that the government should secure all mosques and should pay more attention to this matter.”

Asadullah Qeemet, another resident of Herat, said: “Security must be taken so that people no longer suffer; this is my request from the government.”

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for this attack.

This attack occurred about five months after another attack by assailants on civilians, including two Shia clerics, in the Jabriyal neighborhood in the west of Herat city. In that attack, six people, including two women, died.

Residents of Herat called for the identification and prosecution of those responsible for attacks on civilians in the province.