Suicide bombers hit Shiite mosque in Afghanistan killing dozens — the second such attack in a week

ISLAMABAD — A 2nd monolithic bombing has rocked Afghanistan this week, sidesplitting astatine slightest 50 radical and deepening concerns that successful the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, different militant groups are increasing successful spot successful the country.

The onslaught Friday carried retired by aggregate termination bombers, deed a Shiite mosque successful the confederate metropolis of Kandahar during midday prayers. No radical claimed work for the attack, but a akin onslaught successful Kunduz past Friday was claimed by the Islamic State.

Taliban constabulary commandant Abdul Ghafar Mohammadi, said the blasts killed implicit 50 and wounded astatine slightest 100, but expected the toll to emergence arsenic wellness workers recovered much bodies.

Many “dead bodies stay nether the ruined mosque,” Hafiz Abdul Hai Abbas, wellness manager for the province, told The Washington Post earlier successful the day.

Many fearfulness caller attacks show that the Taliban — which took implicit Afghanistan 2 months agone — is incapable to curb different militant and violent groups, particularly successful municipality areas. Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State stay progressive successful Afghanistan and if they turn successful powerfulness nether Taliban rule, the state could again go a haven for those intent connected launching planetary attacks.

Last Friday’s termination bombing successful Kunduz was claimed by the Islamic State’s Afghanistan branch. The blast struck a crowded Shiite mosque during Friday prayers, sidesplitting astir 50 worshipers and wounding dozens more.

The Islamic State besides claimed work for an onslaught Thursday that killed a Taliban constabulary main successful the eastbound state of Konar, according to section media reports.

The Taliban’s quality to support choky information successful territory nether its power has been a halfway root of its popularity. Now successful power of the full country, the question is nether immense unit to widen akin protections nationwide. Taliban enactment condemned Friday’s onslaught arsenic “a large crime” and ordered its fighters to apprehension those down it.

Eyewitnesses told The Post that they heard aggregate explosions from the mosque.

“First, I heard gunfire and past explosions followed,” Abdul Jabar Karimi, a 40-year-old who survived the blast, said. “Blood was everywhere.”

Meanwhile, Murtaza Khaledi, 26, said helium saw arsenic galore arsenic 4 termination bombers — 2 who detonated their bombs adjacent the mosque’s entrance, and 2 who acceptable disconnected their bombs from wrong the building.

“Everyone is shocked. Shiites successful Kandahar were ne'er attacked before,” Khaledi said.

Footage from wrong the mosque showed respective bloody bodies connected the ground, immoderate covered successful sheets, portion onlookers wailed. The Taliban said it had sent its elite forces to the tract to investigate.

The Islamic State views followers of the Shiite sect of Islam arsenic heretics and often targets their places of worship.

But Kandahar is not a portion of the state that has seen important Islamic State enactment previously. The state is the Taliban’s historical heartland, has large symbolic worth and a agrarian colonisation that has traditionally supported the militants.

The United Nations Assistance Mission successful Afghanistan besides condemned the Kandahar onslaught connected what it called the city’s largest Shiite mosque. The U.N. connection enactment the fig of dormant astatine 30.

“Those liable request to beryllium held to account,” it tweeted.

Cheung reported from London. Mohammadullah Aryen successful Kabul contributed to this report.