HERAT 01 Sep (Online): A blast outside a mosque in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan on Friday killed a high-profile pro-Taliban cleric as well as civilians, police said.
“Mujib Rahman Ansari, with some of his guards and civilians, have been killed on their way toward the mosque,” said Herat’s police spokesperson Mahmood Rasoli.
Rasoli did not say how many casualties the blast caused.
Reports said the militant Islamic State’s Khorasan branch (IS-K) has taken responsibility for the blast.
Al Jazeera Media Network, citing unnamed sources, said 14 people had been killed.
Mujib Rahman Ansari had spoken strongly in defence of the Taliban at a large gathering of thousands of scholars and elders organised by the group in late June, condemning anyone who stood against their administration.
The Taliban say they have improved security in the country since taking power around a year ago, but there have been several blasts in recent months, some of them targeting busy mosques during prayers.
According to an Afghan journalist, a ‘high’ number of casualties was caused by the explosion.
Afghan news agency Tolonews said that Ansari was killed at the Guzargah mosque where he was the imam.
Deputy minister of information Zabiullah Mujahid said also confirmed the death of cleric on twitter and wrote that “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhe raji’un” and further he went on, “regrettably, Moulana Mujibur Rehman Ansari, the country’s strong and courageous religious scholar was martyred in brutal attack on Friday in Herat. The Islamic Emirate expresses its deep sorrow for his martyrdom; the perpetrators behind the incident will be punished for their heinous act.”
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