Suicide attack kills 3 in western Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

A suicide assault on a mosque in western Afghanistan killed three people -- including two attackers -- on Sunday, officials said.

Abdul Ahad, spokesman for the Afghan National Police (ANP) in Herat, told Anadolu Agency two attackers riding a motorcycle were intercepted by security forces.

One of them detonated his explosives while the other one was gunned down by the police, Ahad said, adding one civilian was killed in the attack.

Bordering Iran, the Herat city is third biggest city of Afghanistan where a number of attacks on the Shia minority have taken place recently.

Mohammad Rafiq, spokesman for the main public hospital in the city, said up to seven people were wounded in the latest attack. He said the wounded persons are in stable state.

Daesh terrorist group has claimed the responsibility for the attack via their propaganda site Amaq.

This is the second deadly assault directed at the Shia community in the country in a week’s time.

On Wednesday, up to 29 people were killed in the capital Kabul when a Daesh-linked bomber detonated his explosives at a security barrier before reaching an event of ‘Nevruz’ spring festival.