In the latest militant bout to shake the Afghan capital during the holy month of Ramadan, a suicide bomber hit a crowded Shia mosque in Kabul late Thursday, officials said. The bomber blew himself up in the kitchen of Al-Zahra mosque as police prohibited him from entering the prayer hall.
The hall was packed with worshippers, authorities said. Witnesses also reported gunfire in the area. “Terrorist attack on Al-Zahra mosque in west of Kabul. Special forces have been sent to the area,” Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.
However, he did not reveal if there were any casualties. No group has so far claimed responsibility so far for the assault. The minority Shia areas have been often targeted by Islamic State militants in the past.
The growth of the Islamic State group has elevated the spectre of sectarian conflict in Afghanistan.
Kabul has been on edge since a massive truck bomb killed over 150 people and injured hundreds on May 31. It was the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since 2001 in the city’s fortified diplomatic quarter. Distinctly, suicide bombers hit many bereaved people at the funeral for one of the protesters. The incident killed at least seven more people. The bloodshed during the holy fasting month of Ramadan has left the Afghan capital traumatized.
Last year Afghanistan saw a wave of attacks on Shia claimed by IS. Besides, at least 14 Shia were killed in October in a blast at a mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The incident took place hours after gunmen targeted Shia worshippers in a shrine and killed 18 people in Kabul.
