KABUL, Afghanistan – A lethal blast hit a mosque in northern Afghanistan during Friday prayers, according to a Taliban spokesman, the latest reminder of the precarious security situation across the country following the recent takeover by the Taliban.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on the Shiite mosque in Kunduz Province. But it came days after an attack by the Islamic state outside of a mosque in Kabul, capital, who killed several people.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed the explosion and said there were casualties. However, he did not immediately offer any tolls, saying the Taliban is still investigating.
The Sunni Islamic State, a Shiite extremist group has long targeted Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan, focusing almost exclusively on the Hazara ethnic minority, which is heavily Shiite.