Afghanistan: Protest in Kabul planned for July 23-24 postponed /update 1

Event

The Enlightenment Movement has postponed a planned a demonstration in the capital Kabul from Sunday, July 23, through Monday, July 24 due to security concerns and an invitation to meet with President Ghani. Movement leaders have not announced a future date for the demonstration.

Early reports suggested that demonstrators would gather near the al-Zahra mosque and walk towards Zanbaq Square in the Wazir Akbar Khan area, located at the center of Kabul’s highly secured diplomatic “Green Zone.” Should the protest occur, the AH1 highway is likely to be congested during the protest, unless demonstrators follow an alternative itinerary via Silo Road.

The Enlightenment Movement, comprised of Afghanistan’s marginalized Shi’a minority, is a highly controversial group in the country. Any protests organized by the group should be considered high-risk events, with the potential for escalation and violence.

Context

The Enlightenment Movement refers to the Hazara Enlightenment Movement, that represents Afghanistan's third-largest ethnic group that practices Shi’a Islam in Sunni-majority country. The group was targeted on July 23, 2016, during a protest over a new power line that bypassed provinces where members lived. 80 people were killed and approximately 230 wounded by a double suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS).

Zanbaq Square in the Wazir Akbar Khan area is a traditional protest site in Kabul. Numerous civil society groups demonstrated there after the May 31 suicide bombing that killed 100 people and injured over 400 others.

Advice

Individuals present in Kabul are advised to avoid the vicinity of the protest and to follow all instructions as issued by the authorities.

In general, individuals present in Afghanistan are advised to remain extremely vigilant and to report any suspicious objects or behavior. As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the country due to a high threat from kidnapping, terrorism, and frequent and widespread lethal attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, domestic and international political and civilian targets, and individuals working in the humanitarian and reconstruction fields. Travel to the country should only be undertaken with proper security protocols in place.