Blast at Afghan Mosque Kills and Injures Extra Than a Dozen

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A blast in a mosque in southern Afghanistan killed and wounded greater than a dozen individuals throughout Friday Prayer, residents mentioned, the second such assault on a Shiite place of worship on successive Fridays within the nation.

The assault, which eyewitnesses mentioned concerned a number of blasts, happened in Kandahar metropolis — thought of the guts of the re-established Taliban authorities. And although no group claimed duty for the explosions, the Islamic State mentioned it was behind an identical strike on a Shiite mosque in Kunduz Province, within the northern a part of the nation, on Oct. 8 that killed greater than 40 individuals.

“It was onerous to rely the casualties — however I noticed greater than seven lifeless and round 13 to fifteen had been severely injured, mentioned Mohammad Ali, a worshiper on the mosque who witnessed Friday’s blast.

“We don’t know if it was a suicide bomber or an I.E.D. — however it was highly effective, human flesh and blood had been seen throughout the mosque,” he mentioned, referring to an improvised explosive machine.

A health care provider at Mirwais hospital in Kandahar, one of many principal medical amenities in Kandahar, who spoke on the situation of anonymity, mentioned the toll was far better, saying there have been at the very least 40 lifeless from three completely different blasts on the mosque.

Mr. Ali mentioned the Taliban arrived shortly after the assault and cordoned off the world. The insurgents-turned-rulers have highlighted their capability to offer safety to Afghan residents following the collapse of the western-backed authorities in August.

However that pledge has turn out to be more and more troublesome to uphold as Taliban fighters are actually liable for securing main city facilities corresponding to Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second largest metropolis, and the nation’s capital, Kabul.

The Islamic State Khorasan, also called ISIS-Okay, has lengthy had a presence in Afghanistan’s east however has hardly ever attacked within the nation’s south.

If the assault was certainly carried out by the terrorist group it might characterize a major show of the Islamic State’s newly established attain because it launches its reinvigorated marketing campaign of violence towards the individuals of Afghanistan.

ISIS-Okay is a Sunni extremist group that has lengthy focused Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan, focusing closely on the Hazara ethnic minority, very like it did in final week’s assault in Kunduz.

Taimoor Shah reported from Kandahar, and Thomas Gibbons-Neff from Kabul.