In early November 2015, seven Afghan civilians – including a nine-year-old girl – were beheaded in Afghanistan by militant forces. All of the victims were Hazara, an ethnic minority in Afghanistan with a history of being kidnapped, tortured and killed by the Taliban and other insurgent groups.
In response to the beheadings, thousands of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul to demand the Afghan government and international community pay mind to the systematic killings of Hazaras and increase security for civilians at large as the Taliban, the Islamic State and other factions continue to fight across the country. Afghans in Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. joined in the demonstrations to show solidarity with Hazara victims in Afghanistan. This was the protest in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, where Afghans traveled from as far as Ottawa, Canada to send a message.