Taliban officials targeted in Afghanistan mosque blast

An explosion inside a mosque in north-east Afghanistan has caused multiple casualties, media reports said

Kabul: An explosion inside a mosque in north-east Afghanistan has caused multiple casualties, media reports said.

Reports said several local Taliban officials were among those killed or wounded.

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A local official said the blast took place during a prayer service for the deputy governor of Badakhshan province, who was killed by a car bomb earlier this week, BBC reported.

The Islamic State militant group said they carried out the car bomb attack.

Muizuddin Ahmadi, the local Taliban head of information, said it was unclear how many people have been killed in the mosque blast in the provincial capital, Faizabad, but there had been multiple casualties.

Mourners were attending the funeral of Maulvi Ahmadi, the Taliban deputy governor of Badakhshan, who was killed on his way to work on Tuesday. One other person was also killed while six were wounded in that attack, BBC reported.

Two sources confirmed to the BBC that two local Taliban officials were killed at the mosque, including the former police commander of northern Baghlan province.

Eyewitnesses said gunfire could be heard after the explosion.

Footage shows several casualties arriving at the hospital in the capital by ambulance, BBC reported.