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KABUL, Afghanistan (AA & The Muslim News): The death toll from Friday’s twin suicide-bombing in a Shia Muslim mosque of Gardez city, Paktia Province rose to 39 on Saturday. 81 worshippers during Friday Prayers in Khawaja Hassan mosque, were wounded by the terrorists.
The attack was the latest to hit urban areas across Afghanistan in recent months (Farid Zahir/AFP)
Sardar Wali, spokesman of the provincial chief of the Afghan National Police (ANP), informed Anadolu Agency two suicide attackers opened fire at the worshipers before blowing themselves up. He said the two male attackers were wearing “burqas” to hide explosive vests and automatic weapons.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)
President Ashraf Ghani called the attack an act against Islam aimed at spreading hatred and division. “Such criminal acts of terrorists among our people cannot create religious divisions, because Afghanistan is exemplary in Islamic unity and religious affiliation in the Islamic countries, and this will remain unchanged forever,” Ghani said in a statement.
No one has as yet claimed responsibility for the attack but in the past Daesh terrorist group has claimed responsibility for attacks on Shia Muslim mosques in the country.