Kabul mosque attack death toll rises to 89

Kabul [Afghanistan], Oct.21 (ANI): The death toll from suicide bomb attacks on two mosques in Afghanistan has risen to at least 89 people.

A RadioFreeEuropeRadioLiberty web site report said the two attacks took place yesterday on a Shi'ite mosque in Kabul and on a Sunni mosque in the central Afghan province of Ghor.

The Kabul mosque death toll has risen to 56, the Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman said.

At least 55 people were also injured while praying at the Imam Zaman mosque in the western Dasht-e-Barchi section of Kabul.

The extremist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack.

In the second attack in Ghor, officials said at least 33 people were killed and 10 injured. The suicide bomber detonated an explosive in Khewiagan, a Sunni mosque located in the district of Dulaina.

No claim of responsibility has been made so far for the attack.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the attacks show that "the terrorists have once again staged bloody attacks, but they will not achieve their evil purposes and sow discord among the Afghans."

The United States strongly condemned the October 20 attacks and previous attacks in Afghanistan during a week in which U.S. drones strikes were reported to have killed more than 30 militants in the region.

"In the face of these senseless and cowardly acts, our commitment to Afghanistan is unwavering," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

"The United States stands with the government and people of Afghanistan and will continue to support their efforts to achieve peace and security for their country," she said.

Afghanistan's minority Shi'ite population has been the target of several terror attacks this year that have been blamed on the Taliban and IS.

A recent United Nations report said at least 84 people had been killed and 194 wounded so far in 2017 in attacks on Shi'ite mosques and religious ceremonies prior to the most recent incidents. (ANI with inputs)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI