KABUL – A prominent Afghan religious scholar was killed and another 16people wounded in a blast during Friday prayers at a Kabul mosque,officials said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion, which took place atthe Al-Taqwa mosque in eastern Kabul, where Maulvi Samiullah Rehan had beenthe imam, or prayer leader.
Friday prayers, especially during Ramazan, are usually well attended. Theexplosion took place around 1:20 pm. No one immediately claimedresponsibility for the blast.
“Unfortunately in the blast, Maulvi Rehan has been martyred and 16 otherworshippers were wounded,” said Nasrat Rahimi, spokesman for the interiorministry.
Police spokesman Firdaus Faramarz confirmed to *AFP* that Rehan was killedand said investigators were probing the nature of the explosion.
Local television channel *Tolo* said the explosion was caused by a bomb.
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Rehan was relatively well known in Kabul, as he appeared frequently onreligious shows broadcast on local TV.
While Kabul has seen frequent attacks on Shia shrines and gatherings,particularly by the militant Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate,Rehan was a Sunni imam.
Rehan’s Facebook page showed him standing alongside members of the Afghansecurity forces. -APP/AFP
