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Hazara
An ethnic group indigenous to the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, comprising roughly 9–10% of the Afghan population. Predominantly Shia Muslim in a majority-Sunni country, the Hazara faced systematic persecution and marginalisation under various Afghan governments and, most severely, under the Taliban (1996–2001), which carried out massacres of Hazara communities. Their persecution has continued into the 21st century.
Pashtunwali
The traditional code of conduct of the Pashtun people, emphasising honour (nang), hospitality (melmastia), and revenge (badal). Pashtunwali governs personal and tribal behaviour and is distinct from, though often practised alongside, Islamic law. It played an important role in Afghan resistance to Soviet rule, as it mandated retaliation against outsiders who violated tribal honour.