Blast at Afghan mosque kills high-profile Taliban cleric and multiple civilians

• The explosion rocked the city of Herat, found in the west of the country
• Cleric Mujeeb Rahman Ansari was killed in the blast, officials and local news said 
• Taliban official Abdul Nafi Takor confirmed the blast, but gave no more details
• The Taliban took power in August last year in a violent coup against the government, which was backed by Western powers such as the United States
• WARNING: Contains graphic video 

A blast outside a mosque Afghanistan on Friday killed a high-profile pro-Taliban cleric and multiple civilians, police said.

The explosion rocked the city of Herat, found in the west of the country. Cleric Mujeeb Rahman Ansari was killed in the blast, officials 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, but Al Jazeera Media Network – citing unnamed sources – said 14 people had been killed.

Images on social media showed what appeared to be blood-stained bodies scattered around the compound of the mosque.

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. He called for those who commit ‘the smallest act against our Islamic government’ to be beheaded. 

Abdul Nafi Takor, a Taliban official, also confirmed the blast, but did not give further information. Takor is a spokesman of the interior ministry in Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which took power in August last year in a violent coup.

The Taliban say they have improved security in the country since taking power from the previous Western-backed government, but there have been several blasts in recent months – some of them targeting busy mosques during prayers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Previous mosque attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, which has carried out a series of attacks against religious and ethnic minorities, as well as Taliban targets. 

The Islamic State group has attacked several mosques in suicide attacks during Friday prayers, with a focus on targeting Shiite Muslims. Islamic State followers are also Sunnis and consider Shiites to be infidels.

The United Nations has raised concerns about the growing number of attacks and some blasts have been claimed by a local branch of Islamic State.

The was no immediate claim of responsibility for Friday’s blast.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…

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