Afghanistan: Huge bomb blast in a Kabul mosque, more than 20 feared dead

A few days after the Taliban's first anniversary of gaining control over Afghanistan, a huge explosion rocked the capital city of Kabul. Reportedly, the bomb explosion took place in a mosque in the 17th security district of the city during evening prayers.

According to ground reports, several casualties have been reported. "A blast happened inside a mosque.... the blast has casualties, but the numbers are not clear yet," Khalid Zadran, Kabul police spokesman was quoted as saying by the agencies.

An NGO providing emergency services to the victims took to Twitter to inform, "#Afghanistan #Kabul: 27 people received at our hospital so far following an explosion in the PD17 area. 5 children among them, including a 7-year-old."

Reuters claimed that the Imam of the mosque named Amir Mohammad Kabuli was among the people presumed dead in the blast. His picture has been doing the rounds on Afghan social media.

The publication further stated that as many as 35 people may have been killed or wounded in the blast. Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera claimed that 20 people had been killed in the attack.

According to TOLO News, an Afghan news outlet which talked to Abdul Rahman Nafay, commander of PD13, the explosives for the blast were placed in a motorcycle.

The investigation and rescue agencies have arrived on the spot. However, it is still not clear which terror outfit executed the attack.

It is pertinent to note that last week a prominent Afghan cleric named Rahimullah Haqqani who supported female education was also killed in a suicide bombing attack. At the time, the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility of the attack.

"It's a very huge loss for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," a Taliban official was quoted as saying afterwards.