Kabul: At least 47 worshippers were killed and 70 others wounded after suspected Daesh suicide bombers stormed a mosque during Friday prayers in Afghanistan’s southern city of Kandahar.
The coordinated attack on Friday afternoon took place in the Bibi Fatima mosque, the largest mosque for Shia Muslims in the city, believed to be a Taliban stronghold.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Eyewitnesses described three terrorists, one of whom blew himself up at the entrance to the mosque with the two others detonating their devices inside the building.
It came just a week after a bomb attack claimed by the Daesh terror group killed more than 150 Shia worshippers and left score of others injured during Friday prayers at a mosque in the northeastern city of Kunduz.
Interior ministry spokesman Sayed Khosti said on Twitter: “We are saddened to learn that an explosion took place in a mosque of the Shia brethren in the first district of Kandahar city in which a number of our compatriots were martyred and wounded.”
Taliban special forces arrived in the area “to determine the nature of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice”, he added.
A witness told the AFP news agency he heard three blasts, one at the main door of the mosque, another at a southern area, and a third where worshippers wash themselves.
Murtaza, another witness who, like many Afghans, goes by one name, told The Associated Press news agency that four suicide bombers attacked the mosque.
Two detonated their bombs at a security gate, allowing the other two to run inside and strike the congregation of worshippers.
Speaking to The Associated Press by phone, he said Friday prayers were attended by about 500 people.
Photographs posted by journalists on social media showed many people apparently dead or seriously wounded on the bloody floor of the mosque.
Al Jazeera quoting hospital sources reported that they were inundated with injured, and that based on the number of increasing intakes, they feared a high casualty toll.
The attack in Kandahar, the stronghold of the Taliban, seemed to send “a message that nowhere is safe”, channels correspondent in Kabul said
“The security card, the one the Taliban always played by saying they were the only group that could ensure security to the country, is now very much challenged,” she added.
Todays incident took place a week after dozens of people were killed and more than 100 others were wounded when a mosque in the northern province of Kunduz was targeted.
The Taliban-led government promised a quick response and to hold the perpetrators for the Kunduz attack responsible.
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