The shooting is said to have taken place on Thursday and was directed against Hazaras traveling between the Shia-dominated provinces of Ghor and Daikundi. The terrorist organization IS took responsibility for the act before the Taliban acknowledged that something had happened. IS reported a higher death toll and stated that a machine gun was used.
The Hazaras are a Shia Muslim minority that has been targeted several times before in attacks by Sunni fundamentalist IS.
The Taliban's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the act as a "barbaric act" and said that the perpetrators are being sought and will be brought to justice.
The UN's special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, says he is concerned about the increasing number of acts in the country that IS has taken responsibility for.
The "frightful killing" of Hazaras may constitute a war crime, according to Bennett – who has been banned by the Taliban from operating in Afghanistan.
