Six dead in suicide attack near Shiite mosque in Kabul: police

There was no immediate claim of responsibility


Afp September 29, 2017
REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO PHOTO: twitter/ Khalid Khan™

KABUL: Six people were killed and 16 others wounded when a suicide attacker posing as a shepherd blew himself up near a Shia mosque in Kabul on Friday, police said.

US 'missile malfunction' causes civilian casualties after Mattis visit to Kabul: NATO

"The bomber was grazing a herd of sheep and before reaching his target he detonated himself 140 metres from Hussainia mosque," General Salim Almas, Kabul's criminal investigative director, told AFP.

The explosion happened as worshippers were leaving a Shia mosque in the north of the city after Friday prayers. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban and Islamic State militants, who belong to the rival Sunni branch of Islam, have repeatedly targeted the minority Shia community in recent years. There had been fears they would strike again as Shia prepare to commemorate Ashura which falls this weekend and is the most important Shia observance.

Islamabad fears Kabul may block goods supply to ECO states

It falls on the 10th day of Muharram, which is the mourning period for the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). The faithful gather to beat their chests and hit their backs with chains until they bleed in commemoration of Hussein's death. But in recent years the sacred day has been marred by deadly violence.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ