Two suicide bombers in eastern Afghanistan have killed over 20 people and injured dozens more. The target of the attack was a mosque belonging to Shiites, who have been a frequent target of militant Sunni groups.
A Shiite mosque in the eastern Afghan city of Gardiz was the target of a suicide attack on Friday, local health officials told media.
"We have 20 people killed and around 50 others were wounded," General Taz Mohammad Mandozai, provincial police chief, told AFP news agency.
Varying accounts
Abdullah Asrat, spokesman for the provincial governor, said one of the attackers blew himself up through a door of the mosque, which was packed with worshippers attending weekly Friday prayers.
Another government official said two bombers armed with automatic rifles entered the Shiite mosque and started shooting worshippers before blowing themselves up.
The exact death toll has not been confirmed so far, with different official accounts putting the number between 20 and 70. With a high number of the injured, the death toll is expected to rise.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but "Islamic State" (IS) militant group and its affiliates have targeted Afghan Shiites in the past.
Sunni militant groups in the region consider Shiites, who belong to a minority Islamic sect, apostates, and oppose Iran's influence in the area.
