Cleric, 3 others die in Kabul mosque explosion
Not less than four people have died in an explosion that hit a mosque during Friday prayers in the western part of capital Kabul
While disclosing this on Friday June 12, 2020, Afghanistan’s interior ministry said explosives placed inside the Sher Shah Suri Mosque exploded during Friday prayers.
He added that the mosque’s prayer leader, Azizullah Mofleh, was among those killed.
Interior ministry spokesman, Tariq Arian, said police had cordoned off the area and helped move the wounded to ambulances and nearby hospitals.
Arian told Anadolu Agency that the incident took place in the posh Karta-4 neighbourhood of the city.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but a mosque attack earlier this month was claimed by an ISIL (or ISIS) group affiliate, headquartered in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
“Interestingly, every time you have the peace process gaining some momentum and pace, you have these kinds of attacks in the country,” Habib Wardak, a national security analyst based in Kabul, explained.
“The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack that happened last week on a mosque in Kabul, so despite the fact that you have these news and press conference from the government that they have eliminated ISIL, how can they conduct such sophisticated operations?” he added.
The Taliban was quick to distance itself from the attack. In a social media post, the group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahed, said this attack was part of conspiracy by the “enemy” at a crucial time when peace talks are advancing.
The Afghan government described the attack as “inhuman” and “against the principles of Islam.”
Stefano Pontecorvo, NATO’s senior civilian representative in Kabul, stressed the perpetrators must be brought to justice.
“As we face a historical opportunity for peace, spoilers can’t be allowed to disrupt it. We stand with #Afghanistan in the fight against terror,” he said on Twitter.
“I strongly condemn the attack on Sher Shah Suri mosque. The perpetrators must be brought to justice. As we face a historical opportunity for peace, spoilers can’t be allowed to disrupt it. We stand with #Afghanistan in the fight against terror,” he tweeted.
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