Herat (Afghanistan) (AFP) – Days after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Afghan Shiites commemorate the holy day of Ashura, with the Taliban sending representatives to ceremonies. Ashura is one of the most important periods of the year for Shiite Muslims – considered heretics by many hardline Sunnis, such as the Taliban. There are around three million Shiites in overwhelmingly Sunni Afghanistan and the majority belong to the Hazara ethnic group.
