Blast hits mosque in west Afghanistan, killing 15

At least 15 Afghans were killed and 17 others wounded as a blast ripped through a mosque in Herat city, capital of western Herat province, on Tuesday night, a local official said.

"The explosion occurred in Jawadia Mosque in Baqer Abad neighborhood. The blast occurred at around 08:30 p.m. local time as night praying was under way and people were arriving in the building," the official told Xinhua.

"The initial information found 15 people were killed and 17 others injured," Mohammad Rafiq Sherzia, spokesman of Herat Regional hospital, told Xinhua.

Most of the victims were Shiite Muslims, according to witnesses, who said that the nature of the blast was a suicide bombing and more than 30 people dead while scores of others injured by the explosion.

The death toll was likely to rise as many of the injured remained in critical condition.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

The war-hit country has witnessed a string of attacks as Taliban insurgents and Islamic States (IS) fighters have intensified activities throughout the country over the past months.

On Monday, two Afghans, including a woman, were killed after IS militants attacked Iraqi Embassy in Kabul.

More than 1,660 civilians were killed and over 3,580 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first half of the year, according to the United Nations mission in the country.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)