Massive blast at Kabul mosque leaves over 50 dead
Kabul, April 30: A massive blast killed more than 50 people after Friday prayers at a Kabul mosque, informed its leader, the latest in a string of attacks on civilians in Afghanistan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The explosion took place in the early afternoon at the Khalifa Sahib Mosque in the capital's west, according to Besmullah Habib, deputy spokesman for the interior ministry, who stated that the official confirmed death toll was ten.
The attack occurred as worshippers at the Sunni mosque gathered after Friday prayers for an act of religious remembrance known as Zikr, which is practised by some Muslims but considered heretical by other hardline Sunni groups.
According to the mosque's head, Sayed Fazil Agha, a suicide bomber joined them in the ceremony and detonated explosives.
"Black smoke rose and spread everywhere, dead bodies were everywhere," he said while talking to Reuters. He further informed that his nephews were among the dead and said, "I myself survived, but lost my beloved ones."
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"The blast was very loud, I thought my eardrums were cracked," said another worshipper who was present at the site at the time of blast.
Furthermore, according to sources, hospitals had received 66 dead bodies and 78 wounded people so far.
The United States and the United Nations mission in Afghanistan also denounced the attack, with the latter claiming it was part of a rise in violence against minorities in recent weeks and that at least two U.N. staff members and their families were in the mosque at the time of the attack.
"No words are strong enough to condemn this despicable act," stated Mette Knudsen, the U.N. secretary general's deputy special representative for Afghanistan.
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-PTC News
