A powerful blast exploded at the Khalifa Sahib mosque, located west of Afghan’s capital city Kabul killing over 50 worshippers. Deputy Spokesman for the foreign ministry, Besmullah Habib, confirmed the news.
Worshippers had gathered at the mosque after the Friday prayers for the Zikr congregation. Zikr, an act of religious remembrance, is practiced by some Muslims. However, hardline Sunni groups see them as heretical.
As per health sources, hospitals have received 66 dead bodies and 78 wounded. Sayed Fazil Agha (Head of the mosque) claimed that a suicide bomber in the guise of a believer must have joined the ceremony and detonated the explosives. He told Reuters, “Black smoke rose and spread everywhere, dead bodies were everywhere.,” adding that he lost his nephews to the blast.
U. N. secretary general’s deputy special representative for Afghanistan, Mette Knudsen, said, “No words are strong enough to condemn this despicable act.”
The ruling Taliban’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, released a statement that condemned the blast and stated perpetrators would be found and punished.
Recently there have been blasts targetting civilians, particularly the Shiite minority. On Thursday, bombs blew up two vans passenger vans in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, killing nine people. A week ago, a powerful blast ripped through a Sunni mosque in Kunduz during Friday prayers, killing 33 people.
Image Source: Reuters