Dozens Die In Suicide Bomb Attack On Kabul Mosque

Police have confirmed the death of at least 27 persons following a suicide attack inside a Shia Muslim mosque in Kabul,  Afghanistan.

Another 35 were wounded in the blast at the Baqir ul Olum mosque.

Officials said the attacker was on foot and blew himself up among crowds inside the building. But, there has yet to be claim of responsibility.

A BBC report says Afghanistan has largely been spared levels of sectarian violence seen by Pakistan and Iraq.

But Shia, who make up about 15% of the population, have been attacked several times in recent months, including a gun attack on a shrine in Kabul in October.

A look at the past

Militants from so-called Islamic State have claimed similar attacks. One of them happened in July at a Shia protest march in the capital which left 80 dead.

Taliban militants, who are seeking to reimpose Islamic rule in Afghanistan, were quick to distance themselves from the attack.

“We condemn this blast,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the BBC. “This act cannot be our work and has nothing to do with us.”