Afghanistan: Blast at mosque near ministry building in Kabul kills 4, at least 20 injured

A blast struck a mosque at a government ministry building in Kabul Wednesday as workers and visitors were praying, a Taliban official said.

The blast hit a mosque in Afghanistan's capital in the vicinity of the heavily fortified interior ministry compound in which at least four people were killed and 25 others were wounded, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Taliban, said, adding that an investigation is underway and further details will be shared later, Tolo News reported.

A Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Abdul Nafi Takor, said in a tweet: "Unfortunately there was an explosion inside a ancillary mosque where some Interior Ministry workers and visitors were praying. Will share the details later." He did not say if the mosque was inside the ministry or near it, and there was no immediate information about casualties.

The Taliban confirmed that a blast went off in a government ministry mosque in Kabul as officials and visitors were praying, reported AP.

Emergency NGO in a tweet said so far it has received 20 patients with two being declared dead on arrival.

“The operating theatres are working and we have activated mass casualty procedures. We have received 20 people so far. The number may unfortunately increase again in the next few hours.” Dejan Panic, Acting Country Director in Afghanistan said.