Afghanistan: At Least 22 Killed, 50 Wounded in Twin Blasts

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for one of the blasts.

The two blasts took place in Kunduz and Mazar-e-Sharif .

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ Natiq Malikzada)

At least 11 people were killed and nearly 50 were wounded in a blast at a Shi'ite mosque in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif city on Thursday, 21 April, as per a health official quoted by AP.

The explosion at the Sai Doken mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif occurred as worshippers knelt in prayer as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramzan, added the report.

However, Mohammad Asif Wazeri, the spokesman for a local Taliban commander, told Reuters that at least 20 casualties have been recorded so far.

He said, "A blast happened in the district inside a Shia mosque, more than 20 killed and injured."

The Islamic State group in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Later, Former President Hamid Karzai condemned "in the strongest terms" the blast at the mosque, calling it an act of terrorism and a "crime against humanity," reported AFP.

Meanwhile, a separate blast in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz caused at least 11 more casualties, said a provincial health official.

Najeebullah Sahel, from the provincial health authority, told Reuters that the number of casualties could increase but did not divulge details on the location or cause of the explosion.

According to AFP, Kabul's police spokesman Obaidullah Abedi said that the explosion was caused by a bicycle bomb targeting a vehicle carrying mechanics who worked for a Taliban military unit.

(With inputs from AFP, AP, Reuters.)