Shias in Kabul prepared for their annual commemorations by scrambling to arm themselves
Two months ago, Mohammed Murtaza Turkmeni gathered up his savings and bought his first Kalashnikov. He was born, educated and started his own family against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s civil war, but until now the 27-year-old telecoms engineer had never fought or wanted to fight.
This year, he didn’t feel he had a choice. He is one of hundreds of men from Kabul’s Shia communities who have taken up arms to protect themselves and their community during Ashura, a ceremony that has been a frequent target for bloody sectarian attacks from Pakistan to Iraq.
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Continue reading...from Islam | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NOOxo7
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