Explosion inside mosque in Kabul's Shakar Dhara, Iman Mufti Numan among 12 killed

At least 12 people were killed and almost 15 other suffered injuries in an explosion at a mosque in Shakar Dara district north of Kabul on Friday afternoon. The blast happened inside the mosque when people had gathered for prayers on the second day of Eid al-Fitr.

PTI photo

New Delhi: At least 12 people died in an explosion at a mosque in a district of the Afghan capital Kabul during Friday (May 14) prayers, officials said. Ferdous Faramarz, the spokesman for the Kabul police, said 12 people, including the mosque's Imam, had been killed, and 15 others wounded.

Faramarz told reporters that initial police investigations suggest the Imam may have been the target of the attackers. 

Blast happened inside Kabul mosque as soon as the Friday prayers begun

The blast happened inside the mosque when people had gathered for Friday prayers on the second day of Eid al-Fitr - which was supposed to be the second day of a ceasefire between Taliban insurgents and the Afghan government. According to reports, the bomb exploded as prayers had begun. 

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion. Kabul police say an investigation is underway.