At least two people were killed and 11 others were injured in a suicide bombing and subsequent armed assault on a Shia mosque in the Afghan capital on Friday. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
Worshippers had gathered for prayers when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside Imam Zaman Mosque in Khair Khana neighbourhood at 1.30 p.m. Several attackers then stormed into the mosque, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Police Special Unit pulled out a large number of our countrymen from Imam Zaman mosque," Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Najib Danish said on his Twitter account.
The IS group's news outlet, Amaq, said IS militants had carried out a "commando" attack on the mosque.
Friday's attack is the first major one in Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump on Monday announced his new strategy for the country, which includes sending more US troops.
Trump's announcement was celebrated by Afghan authorities, while the Taliban threatened that Afghanistan would turn into a "graveyard" for US soldiers.
--IANS
soni/dg
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