Deadly explosion strikes Afghanistan's Herat

07/06/2017| IslamWeb

 At least 10 people were killed and several wounded in an explosion near police offices and a mosque in Afghanistan's Herat province, police officials told Al Jazeera.

Abdul Ahid Wali Zada, police spokesperson, said the bomb was planted in a rickshaw that detonated near the Jama Masjid, a large mosque dating from the 12th century in Herat city on Tuesday.

"The death toll could rise," he said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, told Al Jazeera that the group was not involved in the attack.

Images posted to social media showed plumes of black smoke rising above a mosque complex.

The reports came after a string of recent attacks in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, and as President Ashraf Ghani hosted a summit on security.

On May 31, at least 150 people were killed when a truck loaded with explosives detonated in a fortified area of the city near several foreign embassies.

PHOTO CAPTION

Map of Afghanistan locating Herat

Al-Jazeera