What is the Hazara genocide?

Historical and geographic context

The Hazara are a predominantly Shia community concentrated in central Afghanistan (Hazarajat) and urban neighbourhoods such as Dasht-e-Barchi in Kabul. They have a long history of persecution, including massacres in the 1990s, with risk escalating again since 2021 under Taliban rule and attacks by ISIS-K. (House of Commons)

International recognition

The Hazara Inquiry (UK, 2023) concluded that Hazaras in Afghanistan are at serious risk of genocide by the Taliban and ISIS-K—triggering states’ duties under the Genocide Convention to prevent and protect. (The Hazara Inquiry)
The UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan and USCIRF have documented severe, worsening persecution of religious minorities, including Hazara Shia, under Taliban decrees and edicts. (OHCHR)
Canadian parliamentary committees and civil society submissions warn that the pattern of attacks and impunity against Hazaras meets genocide risk criteria. (House of Commons)

Eight core patterns of harm

1) Bombings of schools and exam centers

Hazara students—especially girls—have been repeatedly targeted. On 30 Sept 2022, an attack on the Kaaj Education Center in Kabul killed and injured dozens of young people preparing for university exams. UNICEF

2) Attacks on Shia mosques and worshippers

ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for mass-casualty bombings at Hazara/Shia mosques, including Kunduz (Oct 2021)and Kandahar (Oct 2021), killing scores during Friday prayers. Al Jazeera+2The Guardian+2

3) Campaign of terror against Hazara civilians

Human Rights Watch documents repeated ISIS-K attacks on Hazara neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces since 2021, and the Taliban’s failure to protect victims or provide adequate assistance. Human Rights Watch

4) Forced displacement and land seizures

Following the Taliban takeover, Hazara communities were forcibly evicted in multiple provinces, with homes and land redistributed—collective punishment that deepens vulnerability. Human Rights Watch

5) Extrajudicial killings

Documented cases include Daykundi (Aug 30, 2021), where Taliban forces unlawfully killed 13 Hazaras, including a 17-year-old girl, after former security personnel had surrendered. Amnesty International

6) Gendered persecution and barriers to education

Girls and women face extreme educational restrictions nationwide, and Hazara girls have been disproportionately victimized in school attacks—compounding exclusion with trauma. Human Rights Watch

7) Suppression of peaceful protest

When women and community members protested the targeting of Hazaras after the Kaaj attack, Taliban forces beat protesters and used live ammunition to disperse them. Human Rights Watch

8) Continuing insecurity and impunity

Despite Taliban claims of security, attacks continue in Hazara areas; rights bodies urge effective protection and accountability for perpetrators, including ISIS-K.

Major crimes and features of the Hazara genocide

A pattern of mass-casualty attacks on Hazara schools and mosques, forced evictions, extrajudicial killings, and systemic discrimination has persisted with little accountability.

(The Hazara Inquiry)

Reports and resources

Hazara Inquiry (UK, 2023): Finds Hazaras are at serious risk of genocide, engaging state duties to prevent and protect. The Hazara Inquiry
Human Rights Watch: ISIS-K targets Hazaras; Taliban fails to protect or assist victims. Human Rights Watch
UNICEF Statement (2022): Condemnation of the Kaaj Education Center attack on students in Dasht-e-Barchi. UNICEF
UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan (2024): Deteriorating rights situation; calls for no normalization absent measurable improvements. OHCHR
USCIRF (2024/2025): Country updates and annual reports on persecution of religious minorities under Taliban rule. uscirf.gov
Specific incidents: Kunduz mosque bombing (ISKP claim) and Kandahar mosque bombing. Al Jazeera
Forced evictions: HRW on Taliban forcibly evicting Hazara Shia from homes and land. Human Rights Watch

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