At least four people have been killed in an attack on the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul this afternoon. At least ten others were injured, the Italian aid agency Emergency reported.
Footage : Moments Ago A explosion occurred near Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Mosque.
The explosion occurred when the worshipers were leaving the mosque after Friday prayers. #Kabul #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/60BoxMIiJH— Abdulhaq Omeri (@AbdulhaqOmeri) September 23, 2022
The Friday afternoon prayer is usually the most attended prayer of the week. ” When the people wanted to get out of the mosque after prayer, they suddenly heard a loud explosion,” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran told Afghan media. The explosion is said to have come from a magnetic bomb. “All victims are civilians, the exact number is not yet clear.”
🔴 #Esplosione a #Kabul vicino a una #moschea: ricevute 14 vittime, di cui 4 morte all'arrivo. #Afghanistan #laguerraè
— EMERGENCY (@emergency_ong) September 23, 2022
The area around Wazir Akbar Khan used to be seen as the ‘green zone’ of the city; an area where embassies from other countries could safely do their work. Many foreign embassies and, for example, the NATO office could be found at this location. Now the Taliban has control over the area.
Former President Hamid Karzai condemned the blast near the Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Mosque in Kabul on Twitter, calling it a "terrorist act" that was against both Islamic and human principles. pic.twitter.com/GeUKux9H83
— اخبار عاجل و تحليل اوضاع – افغانستان وجهان (@kgvh6v) September 23, 2022
It is not the first deadly attack since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. In recent months, attacks have been committed more often during Friday afternoon prayers. On August 18, 21 people, including an imam, were killed in an attack on the Siddiquiya mosque in the capital Kabul. In addition, on April 29, 50 people were killed in a suicide attack on the Khalifa Sahib mosque.
All these attacks were eventually claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group. The perpetrator and motive of today’s attack are not yet known.
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