Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami has also urged the Punjab government and Central government to provide security to Sikhs who are present there or bring them to India.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a statement denounced the cowardly attack on the gurudwara and said that India is closely monitoring developments in Kabul.

“The cowardly attack on Gurudwara should be condemned in the strongest terms by all. We’ve been closely monitoring developments since the news of the attack was received. Our first and foremost concern is for the welfare of the community,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Photographs and videos shared by Afghanistan news outlet Tolo News showed thick black plumes of smoke billowing out from the area.

According to sources, around 25 to 30 people were present inside the Kabul gurudwara complex for their morning prayers when the attackers entered the premises.

Around 10-15 people managed to escape but a guard, identified as Ahmad, was killed by the assailants.

Later in the day, visuals on social media posted by onlookers showed people walking barefoot carrying the Holy Guru Granth Sahib on their heads to a different location.

Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been targets of violence in Afghanistan.

In October, last year 15 to 20 terrorists entered a Gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan District of Kabul and tied up the guards.

In March 2020, a deadly attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib gurudwara in Kabul’s Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several were injured. Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack.