<img title="A suicide bomber killed at least 27 people and wounded dozens yesterday in an explosion at a crowded Shi&rsquo;ite mosque in the Afghan capital, officials said, the third major attack on the minority sect in the city since July" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/nov/Afghan-security-a.jpg" alt="A suicide bomber killed at least 27 people and wounded dozens yesterday in an explosion at a crowded Shi&rsquo;ite mosque in the Afghan capital, officials said, the third major attack on the minority sect in the city since July" /> A suicide bomber killed at least 27 people and wounded dozens yesterday in an explosion at a crowded Shi&rsquo;ite mosque in the Afghan capital, officials said, the third major attack on the minority sect in the city since July
Kabul: A suicide bomber killed at least 27 people and wounded dozens yesterday in an explosion at a crowded Shi&rsquo;ite mosque in the Afghan capital, officials said, the third major attack on the minority sect in the city since July.
The attacker entered the Baqir-ul-Olum mosque shortly after midday as worshippers had gathered for a ceremony, the interior ministry said in a statement. Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police&rsquo;s Criminal Investigation Department, said that at least 27 people were killed and 35 wounded but that the total may rise significantly.
One survivor told Afghanistan&rsquo;s Ariana Television that around 40 dead and 80 wounded had been taken from the building before rescue services arrived at the scene. &ldquo;I saw people screaming and covered in blood,&rdquo; he said.
Another witness, Sayed Ali, said he had helped carry 30-35 bodies from the mosque and believed another 100 may be wounded.
Bloody sectarian rivalry between Sunni and Shi&rsquo;ite Muslims has been relatively rare in Afghanistan, a majority Sunni country, but the attack underlines the deadly new dimension that growing ethnic tension could bring to its decades-long conflict.
There had been two major recent attacks on Shi&rsquo;ite targets in Kabul, both claimed by the Islamic State. Last month, at least 14 people were killed when a gunman in police uniform opened fire on worshippers gathered at a Shi&rsquo;ite shrine for the Ashura festival. In July, more than 80 people were killed in an attack on a demonstration by the mainly Shi&rsquo;ite Hazara minority.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday&rsquo;s attack, but the Taliban, seeking to reimpose Islamic law after they were toppled from power in 2001, denied any involvement. &ldquo;We have never attacked mosques as it&rsquo;s not our agenda,&rdquo; said the movement&rsquo;s main spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid.
President Ashraf Ghani described the &ldquo;vicious attack&rdquo; as an attempt &ldquo;to sow seeds of discord&rdquo;. Government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said Afghanistan should not fall victim to &ldquo;enemy plots that divide us by titles&rdquo;.

Over 35 injured in third major attack on minority sect in Kabul since July

Suicide bomber kills 27 at Shi'ite mosque

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Suicide bomber kills 27 at Shi'ite mosque

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