Iran strongly condemns deadly suicide attack on mosque in Afghanistan’s Kandahar

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned a multiple suicide attack on a Shiite mosque on Friday in Afghanistan’s southern city of Kandahar, which reportedly killed more than 30 and wounded dozens of others.

Afghan media quoted Shamsullah Samim, a Taliban official in Kandahar, as saying that 36 people were killed and 70 others injured in Kandahar’s Imam Barga Fatimia mosque when three suicide bombers blew themselves up as worshippers gathered for weekly prayers in the early afternoon.

Although no group has claimed responsibility, some locals did not rule out the involvement of the Islamic State (IS) group in the deadly attack.

In its statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need for unity and solidarity among Shiites and Sunnis, and called for rejection of violence and extremism.

This is the second attack against a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan over the past week.

In the previous attack, which happened in the northern city of Kunduz last Friday, more than 50 worshippers were reportedly killed and scores of others injured. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack.