Suicide bomb attack on Afghan mosque kills 25

KABUL: A suicide bomber attacked a mosque in eastern Afghanistan during Friday prayers, killing 25 people and wounding 40, police said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but police said at least two men had entered the mosque in the city of Gardez in the province of Paktia where about 60 people were praying.

The blast hit the Khawaja Hassan mosque.

“Emergency teams have collected 25 bodies from the mosque premises and 40 people have been rushed to hospital,” said Abdullah Hazrat, a senior government official who was at the blast site.

One witness told Reuters that worshipers were praying when one man detonated his explosives. A second attacker is reported to have opened fire as worshippers gathered.