At approximately 1120 local time (0650 UTC) on 6 March 2020, at least two gunmen attacked a high-profile ceremony — organized to commemorate the death anniversary of an ethnic Hazara leader — in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of western Kabul. The assailants reportedly fired a rocket into the area, then began shooting at the crowd, which mainly comprised members of the Hazara minority community. A gunbattle ensued between security personnel and the assailants at a nearby under-construction building and lasted for several hours; security personnel killed both assailants. At least 29 people attending the commemoration were killed and more than 50 others were wounded in the attack, according to Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who was at the event and escaped unhurt along with other politicians, including former President Hamid Karzai. The Taliban have specifically denied any involvement in the attack. In 2019 the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on the same commemoration ceremony, during which 11 people were killed.