Afghanistan holds rallies to honor slain Hamas chief Haniyeh

ANKARA

Afghans held rallies in the capital Kabul on Sunday to denounce the assassination last week of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and express solidarity with Palestinians, local media reported.

The main gathering was held in Kabul's Eidgah Mosque, where hundreds gathered to offer prayers for Haniyeh and voice solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Carrying banners and signs with anti-Israel slogans, the protesters denounced the injustices perpetrated by the Israeli "occupation and the repression faced by Gaza," government news agency Hurriyat reported.

In a message of condolences, Mullah Hasan Akhund, the Taliban’s interim Afghan prime minister, said that Haniyeh's "targeted" assassination in Tehran by the Zionist regime, meaning Israel, is not only "a heartbreaking loss" but also "a blatant violation of international laws and norms."

"I unequivocally condemn this cowardly and unjustifiable attack on Martyr Ismail Haniyeh. May Allah grant him and all the martyrs of Gaza the highest ranks ... We remain unwavering in our belief that their noble sacrifices will ultimately pave the way for liberation," he said.

"This egregious act by the Zionist regime occurred while he was a guest of the (Iranian) government, highlighting the enemies’ utter contempt for diplomatic sanctity and the principles of international conduct," he added.

The persistent silence of Western institutions and human rights groups over the past 10 months, during which the genocide of women and children in Gaza has unfolded, starkly reveals the true nature and biases of these entities, he argued.

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran’s capital Tehran on Wednesday, with both Hamas and Iran accusing Israel of being behind the assassination.

Tel Aviv, however, has not commented on the attack.

The attack came as Israel continues its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 40,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7.