US condemns mosque attack in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province

WASHINGTON: The United States has condemned the latest attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province that killed more than 100 people.

“The United States condemns in the strongest terms today’s attack on worshippers at Friday prayers in Kunduz, Afghanistan. We offer our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.
“The Afghan people deserve a future free of terror,” Price added.

Islamic State Khorasan has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on a Shia mosque in northern Kunduz province, New York Times (NYT) reported. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said initial information indicates more than 100 people were killed and injured in a suicide blast inside the mosque.

“Today’s incident is part of a disturbing pattern of violence: 3rd deadly attack this week apparently targeting a religious institution. Islamic State(KP) claimed responsibility for Sunday’s incident next to a Kabul mosque. Wednesday’s attack on a madrassa in Khost unclaimed,” UNAMA tweeted.

According to the NYT report, it was the group’s deadliest strike since the suicide bombing at the international airport in Kabul on August 26 that killed about 170 civilians and 13 US troops.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, said investigators were working at the scene of the explosion.

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August, attacks by ISIL-affiliated terrorists against them have increased. The rise in terrorist attacks has raised the possibility of a wider conflict between the two groups. (ANI)