Afghanistan: an explosion kills many in a mosque in Kabul

Afghans carry the remains of a victim of the bombing of a mosque, in Kabul, August 18, 2022. © Ebrahim Noroozi / AP

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1 min

A powerful explosion occurred on Wednesday August 17 in a mosque in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

The toll is still unclear, but there would be at least thirty dead.

This attack comes as the Taliban regime has just celebrated the first anniversary of its seizure of power in Afghanistan.

So far, no claims have been made.

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With our correspondent in Kabul,

The explosion took place in the heart of the religious building at the time of the evening prayer led by Mullah Amir Mohammad Kabuli.

Amateur videos taken in the mosque a few minutes after the explosion, and posted on social networks, show the power of the explosion: the prayer mats are covered in blood, shredded bodies litter the floor of the prayer room.

Children among the victims

The hospital of the NGO Emergency, which takes care of war-wounded in Kabul, said it received twenty-seven victims on Wednesday evening, including children, the youngest being 7 years old.

The mosque is located in the northwest of the Afghan capital, in a residential area.

An attack reminiscent of another

This attack is reminiscent of the one that was perpetrated a week ago in a Koranic school: a suicide bomber blew himself up in the establishment, killing a religious leader in particular.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, which continues to regularly attack the Shiite, Sufi and Sikh minorities, whom they

.

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• Afghanistan

• Terrorism

• Taliban