Blast kills 14, wounds 28 in Afghanistan

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, AFGHANISTAN: At least 14 people were killed Wednesday in a powerful blast at a mosque in northern Afghanistan, the second deadly attack in as many days during Ashura.

"The explosion happened at the gate of the mosque in the centre of Balkh district (in Balkh province)," said the provincial governor´s spokesman Munir Ahmad Farhad, adding that 14 people were killed and 28 injured.

His account was confirmed by the provincial deputy police chief.

The blast came as the Daesh claimed responsibility for twin attacks in Kabul Tuesday that killed up to 18 people and wounding dozens.

Witnesses said gunmen entered the Karte Sakhi shrine near Kabul University late Tuesday, firing indiscriminately on men, women and children as they tried to flee. The interior ministry said one was wearing a suicide vest.

At the same time, another attacker entered a nearby mosque and took an unspecified number of people hostage as they were commemorating Ashura, the ministry said.

The UN called the attack an "atrocity" and put the toll at 18, though the interior ministry later said it was 16.