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Kabul Mosque Bombing Death Toll Rises to 27 | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Afghan men assist a woman, who collapsed after a massive suicide blast at a mosque, to the Estiqlal Hospital in Kabul on November 21, 2016. WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP


Kabul- The death toll from a massive suicide bombing targeting a mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul rose to 27 on Monday, officials said.

Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police Criminal Investigation Department, said at least 27 people had been killed and 35 wounded.

The attacker was mingling with worshippers inside the Baqirul Olum mosque in the west of the city when he detonated the bomb, said Obaidi.

“I heard a blast and dust covered the whole mosque,” said worshipper Nadir Ali.

“When the dust settled down, I saw the mosque was full of flesh and blood. I was injured in my waist and had to crawl out of the mosque.”

Another worshipper, Ali Jan, told AFP: “I was in the mosque, the people were offering prayers. Suddenly I heard a bang and windows broke. I had no idea what had happened. I rushed out screaming.”

The death toll given by Obaidi was confirmed by health ministry spokesman Mohammad Ismail Kawoosi, who said Monday evening the wounded toll had jumped from 35 to 64. Women and children were among the injured.

ISIS claimed the attack in a statement via the jihadist-linked Amaq news agency.

The worshippers were gathering for the major Shi’ite ceremony of Arbaeen when the explosion went off.

Last month, attacks during the Ashoura ceremony claimed by ISIS left more than 30 people dead and around 100 injured in Kabul and other Afghan cities.

In July ISIS jihadists claimed twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shi’ite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 85 and wounding more than 400 others.

President Ashraf Ghani said in a statement on Monday that he strongly condemned the “barbaric” attack on the Kabul mosque.