Afghan Hazara killings spark Kabul march of thousands

1 hour ago From the section Asia Women carry coffin of Zabul victim through streets of Kabul (11 November)Image copyright AFP Image caption Women carry the coffin of one of the Zabul victims through the streets of Kabul Taliban conflict What we know about Kunduz hospital bombing The battle for the Taliban Who are the Taliban? Battleground Kunduz: The city the Taliban seized Afghan security forces have fired warning shots into the air at a protest in Kabul over the killings of seven people from the Hazara ethnic minority. Thousands joined the march, ending at the presidential palace. Police fired shots after some protesters tried to scale the walls of a building nearby. Some of the seven victims had their throats slit - it is not clear by whom. The bodies were found in a southern province where fighting between Taliban factions has escalated recently. The marchers carried the coffins of the dead through the streets of Kabul in the pouring rain. "Today they kill us, tomorrow they kill you," some chanted. Others carried banners bearing photos of the victims and shouted "Death to the Taliban". The murdered Hazaras included four men, two women and a nine-year-old girl. Officials said they were among dozens of Hazaras kidnapped in neighbouring Ghazni province earlier this year. Afghan security forces have reportedly stopped live coverage of the protests by private television channel Ariana News TV. Afghanistan has a large population of minority Hazaras who are mostly Shia Muslims. But unlike in neighbouring Pakistan they have been largely spared attacks by Sunni militants in recent years. Who killed the Hazaras remains to be established.