| Date: July 1, 2018 |
| UNITED SIKH Condemns the Deadly Blast in Afghanistan Killing Sikhs and Other Minority Members |
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| Jalabad, Afghanistan - 1st July 2018: UNITED SIKHS condemns the deadly suicide attack that hit the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad. Ghulam Sanayi Stanekzai, Nangarhar's police chief, said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who targeted a vehicle carrying members of the Sikh minority who were travelling to meet the president. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the attack. UNITED SIKHS will provide humanitarian aid to the impacted families. |
| UNITED SIKHS is also writing to the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, expressing concerns of safety and security of the Afghan Sikh community and will highlight the issue with the State Department during the 5th Sikh Summit to be held during the second week of July. We request US citizens to write to their congressmen, condemning this dastardly act and request them to hold the government of Afghanistan directly responsible in not being able to provide safety and security to minority communities. |
| Per local officials, as of now 10 Sikh members of the Afghanistan Sikh community have been killed. The blast damaged shops and buildings around Mukhaberat square, said Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesperson. UNITED SIKHS has contacted Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani asking to provide better security measures to minorities and to provide aid and resources to the surviving family members. |
| Jatinder Singh, National Director of Sikh Aid said, "UNITED SIKHS will be contacting the families to understand their needs and will coordinate efforts through our local coordinators in Pakistan and Afghanistan. We have reached out to the State Secretary's office and will highlight the global issues impacting the Sikh community during the Sikh Summit taking place in Washington DC." |
| A politician representing the minority Sikh community was killed in the blast. Officials said Awtar Singh Khalsa, who had planned to stand in October's parliamentary elections is among those killed. |
| "An increasing number of attacks towards the Sikh community in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India are a major concern to the global Sikh community." said, Rishiwant Singh, Asia Pacific Coordinator for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid. |
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| Contact:
Gurvinder Singh Director, UNITED SIKHS E:sikhaid@unitedsikhs.org F: 810-885-4264 E: sikhaid@unitedsikhs.org Recognize the Human Race as One. |
| ABOUT UNITED SIKHS UNITED SIKHS is a United Nations-associated global charity that advocates for civil and human rights, registered in 11 chapters. Our International Civil & Human Rights Advocacy helps advance the economic, social and spiritual empowerment of minorities and other marginalized groups and individuals in need, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social status, age or ability. We achieve this by protecting and enforcing the civil and human rights of minorities and marginalized groups in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Visit us at www.UNITEDSIKHS.org. |
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