30 killed in two Afghan mosque blasts

At least 30 people were killed and 45 others wounded after two suicide blasts ripped through mosques in Kabul and Ghor province, respectively, on Friday, the Interior Ministry said.

In the Kabul attack, 20 worshippers were killed and 40 others wounded after a suicide bomber detonated his suicide jacket in a mosque Imam-e-Zaman in Dasht-e-Barchi locality, Police District 13 of the capital city, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a similar attack at roughly the same time, 10 persons were killed and five others wounded when a suicide bomber struck a mosque in Khoja Gan village, Dulina district, in Ghor province, the statement said.

It noted the toll may rise as several injured people remained in critical condition.

No group has claimed responsibility yet for the attacks, but the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has routinely claimed responsibility for such attacks.

The IS has attacked several Shiite mosques in Kabul and western Herat province since the beginning of this year.

--IANS

pgh/nir