An explosion on the doorsteps of a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed one worshipper and wounded seven others on Friday, a Taliban official said.

According to Russian news agency TASS, the blast occurred in the city of Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis province, which borders the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan.

Baz Mohammad Sarwari of Badghis province said the cause of the explosion is unknown but investigations are ongoing.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion. A local outfit affiliated with the militant Islamic State group has in the past repeatedly claimed responsibility for similar attacks.

Sarwari said the wounded were transferred to the provincial hospital while Taliban troops secured the area.

The explosion went off while dozens of worshippers had gathered inside the mosque for Friday prayers.

Last month, a bomb blast on a minibus had killed at least seven people in the western Afghan city of Herat. The sticky bomb was attached to the fuel tank of the bus and left nine other people wounded.

Opinion

Editorial

More pledges
Updated 25 May, 2024

More pledges

There needs to be continuity in economic policies, while development must be focused on bringing prosperity to the masses.
Pemra overreach
25 May, 2024

Pemra overreach

IT seems, at best, a misguided measure and, at worst, an attempt to abuse regulatory power to silence the media. A...
Enduring threat
25 May, 2024

Enduring threat

THE death this week of journalist Nasrullah Gadani, who succumbed to injuries after being attacked by gunmen, is yet...
IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...