Suicide bombers target Shia mosque in Herat city

A suicide attack at a packed Shia mosque in the western Afghan province of Herat has killed dozens of people and injured scores, officials and eyewitnesses said.

A suicide attack at a packed Shia mosque in the western Afghan province of Herat has killed dozens of people and injured scores, officials and eyewitnesses said.

The exact death toll from Tuesday’s blast was unclear.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr.Shehrzai confirmed that 29 bodies were brought to the medical facility soon after the blast.

Officials feared a rising toll with several of the more than 60 people injured in a critical condition.

“At around 8:00pm last night, a terrorist attack was carried out on a mosque in the third security district of Herat city,” Herat police spokesman Abdul AhadWalizada told AFP news agency.

“Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved one of them wearing a suicide vest, who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead,” he added.

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.