People inspect the inside of a mosque following a bombing in Kunduz province northern Afghanistan, Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. A powerful explosion in the mosque frequented by a Muslim religious minority in northern Afghanistan on Friday has left several casualties, witnesses and the Taliban's spokesman said. (AP Photo/Abdullah Sahil)

Suicide bomber kills Worshippers in Afghan mosque attack

On Oct 9, 2021

A suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kunduz province, killing scores of worshippers in the country’s third attack this week on a religious institution.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack that had killed 46 people and wounded 143. Two health officials said 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.

There have been similar attacks in recent weeks, some of which have also been claimed by Islamic State, whose fighters are Sunni Muslims.

The attacks underscore security challenges facing the Taliban, which took over the country in August and have since carried out operations against Islamic State cells in Kabul.

Reuters