Definition:
Hazara: A member of an Afghan ethnic minority group, rumored to be descended from Genghis Khan's army.
The Hazara are Persian speakers, primarily of the Shia Muslim faith. Most Afghans, however, are Sunni, so the Shia Hazara have been persecuted and discriminated against for centuries.
The word "Hazara" comes from the Persian word hazar, or "thousand." The Mongol army operated in units of 1,000 warriors, so this name lends credence to the idea that the Hazara are descended from the Mongols.
Pronunciation: "huh-ZAR-uh"
Examples:
"The Taliban targeted the Hazara for persecution, because the radical Islamists did not consider Shia Muslims to be true Muslims."
