Fatal blast at Afghan mosque

An explosion rocked the Guzargah mosque in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan, police said on Friday. At least one high-profile pro-Taliban cleric was killed as well as several civilians.

Local officials said at least 18 people had been killed and 21 people wounded.

"Mujib Rahman Ansari, with some of his guards and civilians, have been killed on their way toward the mosque," said Herat's police spokesperson Mahmood Rasoli. Rasoli added to German news agency DPA that Ansari had been attacked by a suicide bomber on his way to the mosque from his home.

The Taliban's spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, in a Tweet expressed "strong condolences" over Ansari's death and said his attackers would be punished.

 In July, during a religious gathering in Kabul, Ansari called for those who commit "the smallest act against our Islamic government" to be beheaded.

"This (Taliban) flag has not been raised easily, and it will not be lowered easily," he said.
The Taliban claim they have improved security in the country since taking power around a year ago, but there have been several major attacks in recent months, some of them targeting busy mosques during prayers.

Mosque attacks on the rise

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but previous mosque attacks have been claimed by the "Islamic State" extremist group. The group has carried out a series of attacks against religious and ethnic minorities in Afghanistan, as well as Taliban targets.

Ansari is the second pro-Taliban cleric to be killed in a blast in less than a month, after Rahimullah Haqqani died in a suicide attack at his madrassa in Kabul.

Haqqani was known for angry speeches against IS, who later claimed responsibility for his death. He had also spoken in favor of girls being allowed to attend secondary school, despite  government banning them from attending classes in most provinces.

es/rt (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)