On Friday (October 8) afternoon, a suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque where 300 Muslims were offering their Friday prayers (Jumma Namaz). The incident took place in Afghanistan’s 6th largest city of Kunduz.
In a video posted by Afghan journalist Natiq Malikzada, dead bodies were seen lying on the floor, splattered in blood and debris.
https://twitter.com/natiqmalikzada/status/1446422743151353858?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwTOLO News reported that about 100 people were injured and killed in the dastardly attack. No terror outfit has claimed any responsibility for the attack so far. Since the Taliban took over the country in August, terror attacks by ISIS and its affiliated groups have increased in the country. Although adherents of same fundamental Islamic ideology, the Taliban and ISIS see each other as enemies.
https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1446451019198644227?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwTaliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted, “Today in the afternoon, in the Khanabad Bandar area in the capital city of Kunduz, a blast targeted a mosque belonging to our Shia citizens and martyred and wounded a number of our compatriots.”
https://twitter.com/Zabehulah_M33/status/1446424367265685505?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwWhile speaking about the matter, Taliban leader Ahmadullah Wasiq said, “A number of people have been killed and wounded. Security forces have arrived at the scene and have started an investigation into the incident.” One Talib anonymously told Reuters that at least 28 people were killed and an additional dozen people were wounded. It is estimated that about 300 worshippers were at the Kunduz mosque at the time of the blast.
Bomb blast at Kabul mosque where condolence prayers for Taliban spokesperson’s deceased mother were being held
A powerful bomb blast in a mosque in Kabul in Afghanistan killed several people on Sunday (October 3). The blast took place at the historic Eidgah mosque in the city. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid informed that the blast had left a number of civilian casualties. Although the official number of casualties were not released, social media posts suggested that at least 5 people had died while many more were injured in the blast.
Incidentally, the blast targeted the memorial prayers of the mother of Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. Mujahid’s mother had passed away on September 27. On October 2, he had informed that the Fateha of his mother would be offered at the mosque on Sunday from 2 pm to 5 pm. This made it clear that the bomb blast took place specifically to target the condolence prayer at the mosque.