Afghanistan mosque explosion kills 11 at Taliban deputy governor’s memorial
A deadly explosion occurred near Nabawi Mosque in northern Afghanistan, claiming the lives of at least 11 people who were attending a memorial service for the recently deceased Taliban provincial deputy governor, Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi. Over 30 individuals were wounded in the blast, and officials fear the death toll may rise.
The memorial service took place on Thursday, honouring Ahmadi, who was killed in a car bombing in Faizabad on Tuesday. The attack also resulted in the death of Ahmadi’s driver and left 10 others injured. Among the victims of Thursday’s explosion was Safiullah Samim, a former Taliban police chief in Baghlan.
Abdul Nafi Takor, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the interior ministry, confirmed the incident but did not provide further details. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, the ISIL (ISIS) armed group took responsibility for the car bombing that killed Ahmadi.
The Taliban administration has been actively conducting raids against ISIL members, who have claimed responsibility for several major attacks in urban centres. In March, the group targeted Taliban administration officials and claimed to have killed the governor of northern Balkh province.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack on the mosque, stating in a tweet that it was an act of “terrorism” and went “against human and Islamic standards.”
Ahmadi’s funeral, held on Wednesday, was attended by several senior Taliban officials and hundreds of Faizabad residents. Taliban military chief Fasihuddin Fitrat denounced the attacks in Badakhshan and called for the public to cooperate with Taliban security forces by reporting any suspicious activities in their areas.
In December, a car bombing claimed the life of Badakhshan’s provincial police chief. The regional ISIL affiliate, known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had parked an explosive-laden car on the road and detonated it when the police chief was nearby.
