At least 15 wounded in bomb explosion at mosque in Afghanistan

Kabul, Nov 12 (EFE).- At least 15 people were injured in a bomb blast at a mosque in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan on Friday.

The explosion occurred around noon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Spinghar district, Taliban provincial spokesman Hanif Nangerhary told EFE.

“Unfortunately, enemies of Islam and Afghans placed explosives inside the mosque. Fifteen peoples were injured but luckily we do no have anyone martyred yet,” said Nangerhary.

While, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, last month the extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for two major suicide bombings at mosques in Afghanistan.

On those two occasions, the mosques belonged to the Shia minority, but this time – according to initial information – the attack is not on a place of worship of the minority group, considered apostate by the IS, whose stronghold is Nangarhar.

The first of those attacks in Kunduz province on Oct.8 and left at least 80 dead, while the second one took place in Kandahar province on Oct.15 and killed at least 80, while more than 100 were wounded.

The IS has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August.

Its biggest attack was the one on Kabul airport on Aug.26 that caused some 170 deaths.

The Taliban have launched a series of operations in large parts of the country against the IS, which has emerged as largest security threat for the Taliban government in Afghanistan with almost daily attacks on the Islamists. EFE

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