‘I thought my eardrums were cracked’: Survivors describe Kabul mosque blast that killed 50

A strong explosion killed greater than 50 worshippers after Friday prayers at a Kabul mosque, its chief mentioned, the newest in a collection of assaults on civilian targets in Afghanistan in the course of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The blast hit the Khalifa Sahib Mosque within the west of the capital within the early afternoon, mentioned Besmullah Habib, deputy spokesman for the inside ministry, who mentioned the official confirmed demise toll was 10.

The assault got here as worshippers on the Sunni mosque gathered after Friday prayers for a congregation often known as Zikr — an act of spiritual remembrance practised by some Muslims however seen as heretical by some hardline Sunni teams.

Sayed Fazil Agha, the pinnacle of the mosque, mentioned somebody they believed was a suicide bomber joined them within the ceremony and detonated explosives. “Black smoke rose and spread everywhere, dead bodies were everywhere,” he instructed Reuters, including that his nephews have been among the many useless. “I myself survived, but lost my beloved ones.”

Resident Mohammad Sabir mentioned he had seen wounded folks being loaded into ambulances. “The blast was very loud, I thought my eardrums were cracked,” he mentioned.

A well being supply mentioned hospitals had obtained 66 useless our bodies and 78 wounded folks to this point.

The United States and the United Nations’ mission to Afghanistan condemned the assault, with the latter saying it was a part of an uptick in violence in current weeks concentrating on minorities and including that not less than two UN employees members and their households have been within the mosque on the time of the assault.

“No words are strong enough to condemn this despicable act,” mentioned Mette Knudsen, the UN secretary common’s deputy particular consultant for Afghanistan.

Emergency Hospital in downtown Kabul mentioned it was treating 21 sufferers and two have been useless on arrival. A employee at one other hospital treating assault sufferers mentioned it had obtained 49 sufferers and round 5 our bodies. Ten of the sufferers have been in essential situation, the supply added, and virtually 20 had been admitted to the burns unit.

A spokesman for the ruling Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, launched a press release condemning the blast and saying the perpetrators could be discovered and punished. It was not instantly clear who was accountable.

Scores of Afghan civilians have been killed in current weeks in blasts, a few of which have been claimed by Islamic State. Emergency Hospital mentioned it had handled greater than 100 sufferers wounded in assaults in Kabul in April alone.

The newest assault got here on the final Friday within the month of Ramadan through which most Muslims quick, and earlier than the spiritual vacation of Eid subsequent week.

The Taliban say they’ve secured the nation since taking energy in August and largely eradicated Islamic State’s native offshoot, however worldwide officers and analysts say the chance of a resurgence in militancy stays. Many of the assaults have focused the Shi’ite minority, nevertheless Sunni mosques have additionally been attacked.

Bombs exploded aboard two passenger vans carrying Shi’ite Muslims within the northern metropolis of Mazar-e-Sharif on Thursday, killing not less than 9 folks. Last Friday, a blast tore by way of a Sunni mosque throughout Friday prayers within the metropolis of Kunduz, killing 33.