At least 18 people were murdered in a massive bombing on Friday at one of the largest mosques in western Afghanistan, including a powerful preacher who had earlier this year demanded that anyone who engaged in “the simplest act” of resistance to the government be beheaded.
Images circulated on Twitter were alleged of bloody victims lying around the grounds of the Gazargah Mosque in Herat. Although there have been fewer violent incidents since the Taliban regained control of the government last year, the nation has recently been shaken by many bombings, some of which targeted minority communities. Many of these attacks were claimed by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group.
According to Hameedullah Motawakel, spokesman for the governor of Herat province, in a text message to the media, at least 18 persons were killed and 23 injured in the explosion on Friday. The imam of the mosque, Mujib-ur-Rahman Ansari, was confirmed to be among the victims by government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. He wrote on Twitter that “a powerful and valiant religious scholar of this country was slain in a horrible attack.” Ansari was a powerful cleric renowned for his vehement sermons. In July, he spoke out firmly in favor of Afghanistan’s new Taliban authorities at a religious meeting in Kabul. He added that anyone who does the slightest thing against our Islamic regime should be decapitated.
This (the Taliban banner) was not raised lightly, and it will not be brought down lightly. Ansari was well-known for his outbursts against the previous US-backed governments until the Taliban took back power in August of last year. After Rahimullah Haqqani was the target of a previous suicide assault at his madrassa in Kabul, Ansari is the second pro-Taliban preacher to be slain in a blast in less than a month. Haqqani was well known for his vehement statements against IS, which later took credit for his demise. Although the government forbids girls from enrolling in classrooms in most provinces, he has also advocated for their admission to secondary school.
Later, Pakistan vehemently denounced the “heinous” terrorist attack on the Guzargah Mosque, in which many innocent lives have been lost and more have been injured. In a statement released by the Foreign Office, it was stated that the Government and the people of Pakistan send the deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the bereaved families and for those who have been hurt to recover quickly.
Grief, horror of world’s first atomic bombing in Hiroshima remembered 76 years on
Pakistan has also promised to fight against terrorism in all of its forms. In this moment of sadness and grief, the people of Pakistan stand with their Afghan brothers and sisters.
This year, several mosques across the nation have been attacked, some of which were done so under the banner of IS. On August 17, a blast that struck a Kabul mosque full of worshippers left at least 21 people dead and numerous others injured. Although government officials assert that IS has been vanquished, many contend that the organization still poses the biggest security threat to the nation’s current leaders.
- Misleading Video Alters Prime Minister Shehbaz’s Speech Targeting Political Rival, Not His Party - 21/04/2024
- ATC Grants Three-Day Remand for Suspects in Ichhra Bazaar Harassment Case - 19/03/2024
- Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh Lead World in Severe Smog Crisis, Exceeding WHO Guidelines - 19/03/2024
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.othernews.pk/18-people-including-top-cleric-killed-in-mosque-explosion-in-afghanistan/&media=https://www.othernews.pk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Untitled-1-96.jpg&description=At least 18 people were murdered in a massive bombing on Friday at one of the largest mosques in western Afghanistan, including a powerful preacher who had earlier this year demanded that anyone who engaged in "the simplest act" of resistance to the government be beheaded.){kind=link}