ISIS has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing during Friday prayers in the western Afghan city of Kandahar that killed 41 people and wounded dozens.
ISIS said in a statement on its telegram channel that two ISIS suicide bombers attacked mosques in different parts of Kandahar, the Taliban's main stronghold, according to AFP.
The British research agency Xtrace said yesterday's attack was the first ISIS attack in Kandahar and the fourth since the Taliban took control of Kabul.
Abdul Saeed, a researcher at X-Trace, said the attack was a challenge for the Taliban because they were claiming control of the entire country, but if the Taliban could not protect Kandahar from ISIS, how could they protect the rest of the country? ۔
It may be recalled that a bomb blast during Friday prayers at an Imambargah in Kandahar killed 41 people and injured more than 70 others.
Taliban officials said a suicide bomber struck during Friday prayers in the northern Afghan city of Kandahar.
Hafiz Abdullahi Abbas, director of the Kandahar health department, said: "According to reports from the hospital, 41 people were killed and 70 injured in the blast at the mosque today."
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement on Twitter that the Islamic Emirate condemned the incident and considered it a "grave crime."
He said that those responsible would be arrested and brought to justice.
In videos and photos circulating on social media, many people can be seen on the floor of the Imambargah who were seriously injured.
An eyewitness said he heard three explosions, the first at the main gate of the Imambargah, the second at the south gate and the third at the ablution room.
Nematullah Wafa, a former member of the provincial council, said the blast took place at the Imambargah, causing heavy casualties.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said in a tweet that "the United Nations condemns the recent attack on religious institutions and worshipers, and those responsible must be brought to justice."
Earlier on Friday, a blast during prayers at a mosque in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Kunduz killed 55 people and injured dozens.
The blast also targeted members of the Shiite community, which ISIS claimed was responsible.
ISIS has carried out a number of attacks in Afghanistan, taking a hard line against the Taliban, and has targeted members of other communities and schools of thought in Afghanistan.
Earlier, on October 3, a bomb blast outside a mosque in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killed two people and injured several others.
The bomber struck near the entrance to Kabul's Eidgah Mosque, where the mother of Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was holding a condolence meeting.
It should be noted here that the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 and since then they have been facing the threat of ISIS internally.
However, in a recent statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the Islamic Emirate was pursuing them and that our forces were trying to find the roots of ISIS.
"In the last week and a half, we have arrested many people belonging to ISIS and destroyed many of their safe havens, while thwarting many of their attacks," Zabihullah Mujahid said.
