Afghanistan: Mass funeral held for victims of Kandahar mosque attack

Image credit: Reuters

Kabul: A mass funeral ceremony has been held for the victims killed in Friday`s suicide bomb attack at a Shia mosque in southern Afghanistan. At least 47 people have been killed and 70 other suffered injuries in an explosion inside a Shia mosque in Kandahar on Friday (October 15).

The attack also follows several other recent attacks against religious institutions in Afghanistan, including last week`s attack against the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz.

On Saturday (October 17), relatives laid the bodies of the victims to rest and called on the Taliban to protect them, Al Jazeera reported.

Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) on Saturday confirmed that the Kandahar mosque blasts were carried by them. In its Telegram channel, ISIS-K said that the attack and twin blasts were carried out by them, reported Khaama Press.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had strongly condemned the `horrendous terrorist attack` against the Imam Bargah-e-Fatima Mosque in Afghanistan`s Kandahar province and underlined the need to bring perpetrators of the attack to justice.

In a statement issued by the UNSC, the members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice," the statement said.

They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, the statement said.