After Islamic State terrorists stormed the shrine on Saturday morning, a security guard and a Sikh worshipper were slain, and other members of the Sikh community were trapped inside Gurdwara Karte Parwan in the Afghan capital of Kabul. After killing the security guard, the terrorists entered the Gurdwara at 8.30 a.m. IST.Two terrorists entered the gurdwara and opened fire on worshipers, prompting a gun battle between them and Taliban militants, according to Abdul Nafi Takor, a Taliban-appointed interior ministry spokeswoman. Three Taliban fighters were injured while battling the two ISIS assailants. The gurdwara’s security guard, an Afghan called Ahmad, was murdered in the attack.Gunmen stormed a Sikh place of worship in Kabul, sparking a gunfight between the assailants and Taliban forces, according to Abdul Nafi Takor, a Taliban-appointed Interior Ministry spokeswoman. He said that an explosives-laden car was detonated outside the temple, but that no one was injured. “First, the guys tossed a hand grenade, which set fire to the gate,” he explained. Social media videos show plumes of black smoke rising from the temple in Kabul’s Bagh-e Bala area, as well as shooting.The police operation finished some hours later, according to Khalid Zadran, a spokesperson for the Kabul police chief. He did not specify how many assailants were present. “To avert future deaths, the security personnel were able to move rapidly to quell the attack and destroy the terrorists in a short amount of time,” he added. The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) filed a memorandum to the Centre on Saturday, requesting quick assistance for the injured Sikhs in the Afghanistan Gurdwara bombing.According to DSGMC chairman Harmeet Singh Kalka, the government must give adequate care for those who have been harmed and create provisions for those who wish to visit India.

By Subhechcha Ganguly