Afghanistan: Bomb blast during jumme prayers, 62 killed

According to officials, a mosque in eastern Nangarhar province exploded during Friday prayers. Dozens of people have been injured in the blast. The roof of the mosque fell after the blast.

Both the Islamic State and the Taliban are active in this area, but so far no one has claimed responsibility for the blast.

The blast came soon after a statement issued by the UN said that the death toll of ordinary people in Afghanistan had increased significantly in the summer this year.

According to the UN, at least 1174 civilians have been killed between July and September. In this, July 2019 has proved to be the bloodiest month of the decade.

The BBC also conducted a survey on the people affected by the violence in the country in August, according to which every fifth person who died in the violence was a common citizen.

Ataullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the province’s governor, told the BBC that 62 people died in the attack and 36 were injured who had come to offer prayers.

The incident took place in the mosque of Haska Mina district, 50 km from the state capital Jalalabad.

Eyewitnesses said that they heard a big bang before the roof of the mosque fell. According to Tolo News of Afghanistan, several explosives were used in this incident.

Local police officer Tezab Khan said that he was listening to Mulla’s freedom but ‘suddenly his voice stopped after a blast’.