Herat Shia mosque blast kills dozens in Afghanistan

An explosion at a mosque in the Afghan city of Herat killed dozens on August 1. The blast, which struck the Jawadia mosque, reportedly coincided with evening prayers at around 20:00 local time. Officials said there were at least two attackers – one a suicide bomber, and another who shot at worshippers with a firearm. […]

Asia-Plus

An explosion at a mosque in the Afghan city of Herat killed dozens on August 1.

The blast, which struck the Jawadia mosque, reportedly coincided with evening prayers at around 20:00 local time.

Officials said there were at least two attackers – one a suicide bomber, and another who shot at worshippers with a firearm.

A spokesperson for the local governor told the BBC the death toll could rise.  He said at least 29 people had been killed, and another 64 were injured.

The governor's representative said the suicide attacker also opened fire inside the mosque before detonating his explosives.

Reuters reported grenades were thrown, citing local police.

"Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved, one of them wearing a suicide vest, who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead," Herat police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada told AFP news agency.

Meanwhile, the provincial governor's spokesman, Jalani Farhad, told Al Jazeera that the death toll had risen to 50.

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.

Later, local residents, who are mostly Shia Muslims, attacked the police station pelting it with stones and setting it on fire, the provincial governor's spokesman Jalani Farhad was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.  They were apparently angry at the late response of the police.

No group has said it was behind attack, which occurred in a predominantly Shia Muslim area. A spokesman for the Taliban, which has struck Shia mosques in the country before, condemned the attack in a text message sent to reporters.

Herat, close to the border with Iran, is considered one of Afghanistan's more peaceful cities.

The attack there comes one day after a battle at the Iraqi Embassy in the capital, Kabul, which also saw gunmen launch an assault following a suicide explosion.  So-called Islamic State (IS) terror group said it had carried out that attack.

Areas dominated by Shia Muslims in Afghanistan have been hit by attacks repeatedly in the past year, by both IS and the Taliban.

Many of the casualties have been civilians, with injury numbers rising for the past five years as attacks increased.

In May, a huge bombing in the center of Kabul killed more than 150 people, the deadliest militant attack in the country since US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in 2001. It is not clear what the intended target was.

Join us on social media!

Article translations:

Related Article

Оби зулол
Оби зулол
Дидитал Бизнез Астана

Most Read

Recent Articles

Seven threats to water, land, and the future of Central Asia

From water scarcity and glacier melting to air pollution and food risks — Central Asia must seek ways to jointly address these issues.

Uzbekistan to raise electricity and gas rates

Electricity for the population in Uzbekistan will become more expensive than in Tajikistan, but relative to income, the burden on families in the neighboring republic is lower.

‘Asia-Plus is a positive image of Tajikistan and a tool for forming a full-fledged nation’ says Tajik scientist

A Tajik diplomat explained the significance of "Asia-Plus" for the government and why it should be bold.

The Taliban officially legalize child marriages: a bride’s silence is now considered a sign of consent

The new law allows marriages of underage boys and girls, and even not the closest relatives can negotiate the conclusion of such a marriage.

Tajikistan, Kazakhstan increase mutual road freight transport

The transport ministers of the two countries discussed the further development of cooperation.