Suicide Bomber Attacks Worshippers in Kabul Mosque

At least 27 people were killed and 35 others wounded after a suicide bomber on Monday targeted a Shiite mosque in Darul Aman Road in west of Kabul, officials said.

The suicide bomber has detonated his explosives inside Baqir-ul-uloom mosque in police district 6th of Kabul.

Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police Criminal Investigation Department while speaking to the reporters at the site of the explosion, said at least 27 people were killed and 35 others wounded when the explosion hit a religious gathering in west of Kabul.

In a statement, President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms and called it unforgivable, great crime and the work of the enemies of Afghanistan.

According to the statement the president has directed all health officials not to spare any efforts in providing treatment and assistance for all those who have been wounded and affected in the incident.

Government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said Afghanistan should not fall victim to “enemy plots that divide us by titles”.

“This attack targeted innocent civilians – including children – in a holy place. It is a war crime & an act against Islam & humanity,” he said in a message on his Twitter account.

The Kabul mosque attack provoked international reactions too.

UNAMA, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and many more international organizations condemned the attack calling it a cowardly attack that targeted a group of worshipers gathered to observe Arbaeen, a commemoration on the 40th day after Ashura.

Reacting to the bombing of the mosque the Amnesty International called it a “horrific crime” and urged the government of Afghanistan to investigate it immediately and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Apparently, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack while Taliban denied any involvement on the initial hours.

A statement in Arabic from Islamic State’s Amaq news agency said one of its fighters had targeted the mosque.