Dozens of Afghan civilians have been killed in recent weeks in explosions, some of which have been claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group.
A powerful explosion hit a mosque in western Kabul during prayers, killing at least 10 and wounding 20, authorities said, amid a series of attacks in Afghan places of worship and civilian targets during the holy month of Ramadan.
Besmullah Habib, deputy spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said Friday’s blast hit the Khalifa Aga Gul Khan mosque in western Kabul around 2:00 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT).
Hundreds of worshipers had gathered to pray on the last Friday of Ramadan and the mosque was packed, local residents told the Reuters news agency, fearing the death toll would rise further.
Taliban-appointed Interior Ministry spokesman Mohammad Nafi Takor was unable to provide further details and Taliban security members cordoned off the area. The source of the explosion was not immediately known and no one has claimed responsibility for the blast.
One man, who was inside the mosque at the time, told Reuters a huge explosion ripped through the building during prayers and the blast burned his hands and feet. Mohammad Sabir, a resident of the area, said he had seen people getting into ambulances after the blast.
“The explosion was very strong, I thought my eardrums were ruptured,” he said.
A nurse at a nearby hospital who declined to be identified said they had received several people critically injured in the attack.
Dozens of Afghan civilians have died in recent weeks in explosions, some of which have been claimed by the armed group ISIL (ISIS).
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have said they have secured the country since taking power last August and largely eliminated the local branch of ISIL, but international officials and analysts said the risk of a resurgence in attacks remains.
Many of the attacks have targeted the Shia religious minority. Sunni mosques have also been attacked.
Bombs exploded in two passenger vans carrying Shiite Muslims in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Thursday. killing at least nine people. Last Friday, an explosion destroyed a Sunni mosque during Friday prayers in the Kunduz citykilling 33 people.
The latest attack came on Friday, the Islamic holy day, the last of the month of Ramadan, during which most Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and before the religious holiday of Eid next week.