Mo would be proud - Bomb blast hit the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz city, northern Afghanistan during Friday prayers
- At least 100 people died and scores more were wounded in the blast targeting the minority Shi'ite community
- It is the deadliest blast since the US withdrew, Taliban took control on August 30
| Tolo News adds: |
The deputy minister of information and culture, Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted, "Today in the afternoon, in the Khanabad Bandar area in the capital city of Kunduz, a blast targeted a mosque belonging to our Shia citizens and martyred and maimed a number of our compatriots," he tweeted.
Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Cultural Commission of the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the attack occurred at a Shia Mosque. "A number of people have been killed and maimed. Security forces have arrived at the scene and have started an investigation into the incident," he said.
The director of the culture and information department in Kunduz says that 43 people were killed and over 140 were maimed in today’s suicide kaboom at the mosque in Kunduz city.
Local security officials said over 300 hundred people were attending the Friday prayers when the attack happened.
| So while we wait for the fog of vapourized jacketwallah to disperse, at least we know the maximum possible casualty number. From Deutsche Welle: |
A Taliban official cited by the AFP news agency said the explosion was a suicide attack. IS later said in a statement on its Telegram channels that a suicide bomber "detonated an explosive vest amid a crowd".
Another statement said that the perpetrator had been from the Uyghur Muslim minority group that the "Taliban had vowed to expel" from Afghanistan.
| The Times of Israel adds: |
“Hundreds of people are gathered at the main gate of the hospital and crying for their relatives but armed Taliban guys are trying to prevent gatherings in case another explosion is planned,” he said.
Ethnic Hazaras, who are mostly minority Shiite Muslims, make up about 6% of Kunduz’s population of nearly 1 million people. The province also has a large ethnic Uzbek population that has been targeted for recruitment by the IS, which is closely aligned with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
| According to previous notes, IMU has training camps in Jawzjan and Faryab provinces along the Af-Pak border, one of the 20+ jihadi groups there. Their 300 or so hard boys are nestled among the large native Uzbek population. In 2011 Khatiba Imam al-Bukhari (KIB) split off to fight with the Taliban, then split again in 2015 when a group of KIB joined Al Nusra in Syria. Courtesy of Frank G., even more from the Jerusalem Post: |
Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack that state-run Bakhtar news agency said had killed 46 people and wounded 143. Two health officials told Reuters the death toll could be between 70 and 80.
The blast, which the United Nations' mission in Afghanistan called part of a disturbing pattern of violence, follows others in recent days at a mosque in Kabul and a religious school in the eastern province of Khost.
Related:
Kunduz: 2021-10-06 Islamic Emirate Introduces New Members of Caretaker Cabinet
Kunduz: 2021-09-12 Tens of university students protest in support to Taliban in Kabul
Kunduz: 2021-09-12 ‘We live in fear': Once embracing, Turkey turns on migrants
Kunduz: 2021-10-06 Islamic Emirate Introduces New Members of Caretaker Cabinet
Kunduz: 2021-09-12 Tens of university students protest in support to Taliban in Kabul
Kunduz: 2021-09-12 ‘We live in fear': Once embracing, Turkey turns on migrants
Related:
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2021-07-28 Tajikistan fears entering extremists from Afghanistan.
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2020-11-13 IMU Leader Killed in Afghan Forces Operation in Faryab: MoD
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2020-07-10 Taliban react to photos of Afghan forces published by KIB’s Syrian wing
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2021-07-28 Tajikistan fears entering extremists from Afghanistan.
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2020-11-13 IMU Leader Killed in Afghan Forces Operation in Faryab: MoD
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan: 2020-07-10 Taliban react to photos of Afghan forces published by KIB’s Syrian wing