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Afghanistan Kabul mosque suicide attack kills dozens | Afghanistan Kabul mosque suicide attack kills dozens |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A suicide bomber has killed at least 27 people at a Shia Muslim mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul, police say. | |
At least 35 more people were wounded in the blast at the Baqir ul Olum mosque in the west of the city. | |
The attack came as worshippers gathered for a religious ceremony. | |
It is not yet clear who was behind the blast but Afghanistan's Shia have faced a series of sectarian attacks in recent months claimed by the Islamic State (IS) Sunni Muslim militant group. | |
Monday's bombing took place during a service to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson and Shia martyr. | |
Sunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schism | |
Officials said the attacker was on foot and blew himself up among crowds inside the building. Eyewitnesses said the service was almost over when the bomb was detonated. | |
"I was inside the mosque and the Mullah was reading the prayer," Ewaz Ali, 50, who suffered minor injuries, told the Associated Press news agency. | |
"Suddenly a huge explosion happened, then everywhere was dark." | "Suddenly a huge explosion happened, then everywhere was dark." |
Another worshipper, Nadir Ali, told AFP news agency the blast had created a cloud of dust: "When the dust settled down, I saw the mosque was full of flesh and blood. I was injured in my waist and had to crawl out of the mosque." | |
Local reports suggested children were among the dead. | |
Shia, who make up about 15% of the population of Afghanistan, have been spared levels of sectarian violence seen in Pakistan and Iraq. | |
But they have been targeted at least three times in recent months: | |
All three attacks were claimed by IS. | |
Taliban militants were quick to distance themselves from Monday's attack. | |
"We condemn this blast," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the BBC. "This act cannot be our work and has nothing to do with us." | "We condemn this blast," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the BBC. "This act cannot be our work and has nothing to do with us." |
President Ashraf Ghani called the attack an attempt "to sow seeds of discord". | |
Afghan government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah urged the country not to fall victim to "enemy plots that divide us by titles". | |
"This attack targeted innocent civilians - including children - in a holy place," he said via Twitter. "It is a war crime and an act against Islam & humanity." |