Hospital official says 5 killed in Afghan suicide bombing
Sep 29, 2017
Hospital official says at least five people killed and 20 wounded in a suicide bombing outside a Shiite mosque in Afghan capital Kabul
KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in the Afghan capital on Friday, killing five people and wounding 29 others, authorities said, in the latest attack to target the country's minority Shiites.
Mohammad Salim Rasuli, chief of Kabul hospitals, confirmed the fatalities from the attack, which came as worshippers were leaving the Hussainia Mosque in central Kabul following Friday prayers. Police officer Abdul Rahman said the attacker blew himself up on the street about 1,000 meters (1,094 yards) from the mosque.
Police official Sadiq Muradi said police confronted the attacker as he came through a checkpoint near the holy site, calling for him to stop. But that's when he ignited his explosives, blowing himself up.
Mir Hussain Nasiri, a member of Kabul's Shiite clerics council, told The Associated Press the attacker was disguised as a sheepherder.
Mohammad Ismail, police chief of Kabul's 10th district, said a second person suspected of involvement was in custody.
Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack in a statement, saying the "terrorists" targeted civilians and their holy place, which shows the attackers "are against humanity and anti-religion and faith."
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place two days before the Muslim holy day of Ashura. But Afghanistan has faced a series of large-scale attacks in recent months targeting minority Shiites for which the Sunni-dominated Islamic State group affiliate in Afghanistan has taken responsibility.
In July, IS attacked the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul and then warned Shiites in Afghanistan that their mosques would be targeted. Sunni extremists consider Shiites to be heretics.
Within days of that, IS also took responsibility for a suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in western Herat province that left 32 people dead.
Last month, militants stormed a packed Shiite mosque in Kabul during Friday prayers in an attack that lasted for hours and ended with at least 20 worshippers killed and another 50 seriously wounded, many of them children. IS claimed it was responsible.
Also on Friday, an Afghan official said a Taliban attack on a police checkpoint left five police dead in western Farah province.
Iqbal Baher, spokesman for the provincial chief of police, says two others were wounded when the militants launched their attack early Friday in Bala Bluk district.
Baher said reinforcements from the Afghan national army arrived after several hours of fighting and pushed the Taliban fighters out of the district. He said the Afghan air force struck three Taliban vehicles as they tried to escape, killing at least 20 of the militants.
There was no immediate statement from the Taliban.
MORE NEWS
India did not get Asian Games gold ‘on a platter’, says Sanju Samson after Pakistan win
Sanju Samson highlighted the significance of the team's experience in securing victory against Pakistan in the Asian Games final. India successfully defended their men's cricket gold by posting 211 runs and restricting Pakistan to 192 runs. The final showcased a competitive match, as both teams fought hard for the title. Samson noted that despite the pressures, the team maintained focus and composure throughout the contest.
FMGE October 2026 final edit window opens: Check last date to make changes, admit card release date, exam pattern and result date
FMGE October 2026 final edit window now open: NBEMS has opened the final selective edit window for FMGE October 2026, letting candidates correct their photograph, signature and thumb impression till October 19. The exam is on October 31, with results expected by November 30.
RBI repo rate may climb to 6% in FY27; G-Sec yields face upward pressure: Report
RBI is expected to raise the repo rate by 25 basis points in October, with one or two more hikes possible in FY27, taking the benchmark rate to 5.75-6%, according to a Union Bank of India report.
Golden Girl Kumkum Mohod Scripts History, Amravati Erupts In Joy: 'She Has Made India Proud'
Kumkum Mohod's family and neighbours rejoiced after the teenager scripted history at the Asian Games, with her father saying that she has made both Amravati and India proud.
Madhes records 459 disasters in two months, 92 deaths
JANAKPURDHAM, OCTOBER 4Madhes Province recorded 459 disaster incidents in the first two months of the current fiscal year, claiming 92 lives and affecting 510 families, according t...
Rahul Gandhi was 'so scared': SP MP on Congress leader's decision to contest from Raebareli in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Samajwadi Party MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel has claimed Congress would have won no seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections without its alliance with the SP.
IT sector faces another muted quarter as pricing pressure, geopolitics weigh on growth: Report
India's IT sector is expected to see limited growth in Q2FY27 due to various pressures and headwinds. Predictions indicate large-cap firms might experience a modest revenue increase, while mid-cap companies could outperform. Although margins might improve slightly, profitability could continue facing challenges from investment needs. The Nifty IT index has dropped significantly, reaching multi-year lows due to weak demand.
Google Gemini sets new limits for free users: What changes, which features will remain available; check
Google is cutting model access for free and AI Plus Gemini users from October 9, while AI Pro subscribers get the Deep Think feature. Here is what each plan will get, and what users stand to miss.
Lockheed Martin to expand production in India, if it wins transport aircraft bid
Lockheed Martin plans to expand its aircraft production capabilities in India if it wins a $10.5 billion contract to supply 60 medium transport aircraft to the Indian armed forces.
Canadian rock singer Sass Jordan, voice behind ‘Make You a Believer’ and ‘Tell Somebody,’ dies at 63
Sass Jordan, the renowned Canadian rock singer, has passed away at the age of 63. Her family reported that she died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Jordan had faced health issues recently, which led to the cancellation of her performances. Born in Birmingham and raised in Montreal, she became a prominent figure in the music industry.
Woman in labour denied hospital admission after being identified as Dalit, forced to deliver baby on roadside outside UP hospital
Dalit woman denied hospital admission: A 20 year old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district was allegedly denied admission at a government hospital after staff learnt she belonged to the Dalit Mushar community, forcing her family to deliver her baby on the roadside right outside the facility. A video of the incident went viral, pushing the state's deputy chief minister to order an inquiry that has already cost one doctor his job and led to action against four other hospital staff members.