More than 20 dead in two blasts in Afghanistan
SMA NEWS – KABUL
Dozens of people have been killed or injured in two blasts in northern Afghanistan, local officials have said.
The first explosion tore through a Shia mosque in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Thursday.
At least 11 people were killed, and more than 30 injured, a health official told the BBC.
The second blast saw a vehicle blown up near a police station in the city of Kunduz, and left four dead and 18 injured, a police spokesman said.
Najeebullah Sahel, from the Kunduz provincial health authority, said the wounded had been taken to hospital.
Afghan news outlet Tolo News reports that the explosion in Mazar-i-Sharif happened at Seh Dokan, one of the biggest mosques used locally by the Shia minority group.
The outlet gives a higher injury toll, saying at least 65 people were hurt in that explosion alone. Tolls remain fluid at this stage and liable to change.
Afghanistan’s Shia community is often targeted by Sunni militant groups, including the Islamic State.
The blast is said to have happened while worshippers were preparing to perform prayers. Images shared on social media showed the site littered with broken glass and victims being carried.
