Afghanistan: At least 15 dead after explosion

Nematullah Wafa, a former member of the local provincial council, said the blast occurred at the Imam Bargah mosque and caused heavy casualties. At least 15 people are thought to have been killed and a further 31 injured, but these figures may still rise.

Qari Saeed Khosti said authorities were gathering details of the explosion, which happened a week after Isis claimed a bombing at another Shi’ite mosque in the northern city of Kunduz, which resulted in scores of people being killed.

Taliban special forces arrived at the mosque to secure the site and an appeal went out to residents to donate blood for the victims. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The bombing in Kunduz last week killed roughly 50 people and injured another 140. It was the bloodiest attack in Afghanistan since US and NATO soldiers left and the Taliban assumed power at the end of August.