Taliban’s first unity & diplomatic steps

Taliban Reach Out to Shiite Hazara Minority, Seeking Unity and Iran Ties

Recalling past massacres and persecution, Hazaras are wary of Taliban promises

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Sept. 2, 2021, 12:14 pm ET

As the Taliban try to unite all Afghans behind them, one of the biggest obstacles the Sunni Islamist movement faces is how to persuade the Shiite Hazara community, roughly one-fifth of the nation’s population, that it has a place under the new regime.

When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan in 1996-2001, they committed a series of massacres against the Hazaras and openly discriminated against the community. Since seizing Kabul on Aug. 15, the Taliban haven’t interfered with a Shiite religious festival and has assured the Hazaras—targeted by a series of Islamic State bombings in recent years—of their safety.