A suicide bomber had succeeded in blowing himself up amidst worshippers while attending Friday October 13, while observing prayers at a Shiite mosque in northern Afghanistan, killing at least seven people and wounding 15 others, a police spokesperson said.
The incident happened in the city of Pol-e-Khomri, the capital of Baghlan province, police spokesman Sher Ahmad Borhani said in a statement. Security officials were working to determine how the attacker reached the area to strike at the Imam Zaman mosque.
It was not clear who was responsible but it was likely to be blamed on the Islamic States group, which had Afghanistan’s minority Shi’ites as it’s target, due to its high rate of attacks in the past.
The Taliban footage from the mosque showed debris strewn over a red-carpeted floor, scattered personal items and bodies covered with shrouds.
The regional affiliate of IS, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, increased attacks on mosques and minorities across the country after the Taliban seized power in August 2021.
IS, which has operated in Afghanistan since 2014, is seen as the greatest security challenge facing the country’s Taliban rulers. Following their takeover, the Taliban launched a massive crackdown against the terrorist group.
