Gunmen storm Shia mosque in Afghan capital

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Three policemen have been killed and at least 20 civilians, including women and children were injured in an attack on a Shia mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.

Armed men stormed the Imam Zamin Mosque, affiliated with the Shia community in the city’s Qala-e-Najara neighborhood, as hundreds of people were attending weekly Friday prayers.

Turkey condemned the attack on Friday.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish confirmed the casualty toll to Anadolu Agency.

“The attack [on the mosque] has ended with all three attackers killed,” he said, adding the assault began with a suicide blast carried out by a fourth attacker.

Ismaeel Kawosi, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health said up to 20 civilians lost their lives. He feared the death toll could rise.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has vehemently condemned what he called an “inhuman and un-Islamic” act, saying the terrorists could not divide the Afghan nation with such atrocities.

The Taliban have denied their involvement in this sixth incident of its kind this year.

However, the Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility in a statement posted on their propaganda site Amaq.

According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, four previous attacks occurred in western Herat province bordering Iran while the other two were in Kabul. Daesh claimed responsibility for two of these attacks.

Earlier this month, up to 31 people were killed following a suicide attack and subsequent gun battle at a Shia mosque in Herat.

'Heinous attack'

In a statement on Friday, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country had "learned with deep sorrow" about the attack.

"We condemn in the strongest terms this heinous terrorist attack which targeted innocent civilians worshipping, wish God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives, hope for a speedy recovery of the wounded and convey our condolences to their families and the Afghan government and brotherly Afghan people."

Turkey said it believed "this despicable terrorist attack" would not "weaken Afghanistan’s determination in the struggle against the challenges it faces".

"Turkey will continue to extend her solidarity to the friendly and brotherly people of Afghanistan against terrorism and to provide full support to the Government of Afghanistan," it added.