IS suicide bomber kills 27 at Kuwait mosque

Kuwait City: An Islamic State suicide bomber struck a mosque in the Kuwaiti capital during Friday prayers, killing 27 people as the Gulf state declared an "all-out confrontation" with terrorism.

Health Minister Ali al-Obaidi told the state-run Kuwait Television the number of dead had risen to 27 in addition to 222 wounded in the first ever suicide attack on mosques in the oil-rich emirate.

The toll in the attack, carried out in the holy month of Ramazan, is one of the largest in Kuwait´s history.

The cabinet announced after an emergency meeting that all security agencies and police have been placed on alert to confront what it called "black terror".

"The cabinet stresses that it will take whatever measures necessary to root out this scourge, and declares a relentless all-out confrontation with these terrorists," said a statement after the meeting.

It also declared Saturday a day of mourning.

The IS-affiliated group in Saudi Arabia, calling itself Najd Province, said militant Abu Suleiman al-Muwahhid bombed the mosque.

The Najd Province group has claimed similar bombings at mosques in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

After the attack, a security official said "it is a suicide bombing", and witnesses said a suicide bomber entered the mosque during weekly Friday prayers.