Hazaras of Afghanistan: Hazara is an ethnic group from Afgha | UPSC Current Affairs Daily

Hazaras of Afghanistan:

Hazara is an ethnic group from Afghanistan.
They are believed to be descendants of the founder of the Mongol empire, Genghis Khan, and his army that overran the entire region during the 13th century.
Their distinct Asiatic features and use of a Persian dialect called Hazaragi also sets them apart from the rest of the country.
Historical background:
Around 1773, the mountainous region of Hazarajat in modern-day central Afghanistan was annexed and made a part of the territories of Afghan Empire under Pashtun ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani.
The sunni Muslim majority under the Pashtun ruler resulted in further marginilisation of the Shiite Hazara community, to the extent that in the 18th and 19th century, they were forced to leave fertile lowlands in central Afghanistan and make the dry, arid mountainous landscape their new home.
Research indicates that their unique identity, ethnicity and religion always made the Hazaras stand out among the other communities.
Hazaras speak Hazaragi, which is close to Dari Persian, the official language of modern-day Afghanistan.
The community also shares physical similarities with the Mongols and their speech, specific terms and phrases, reflect strong Central Asian Turkic influences, setting them apart from their neighbours in Pakistan and other communities within Afghanistan.