WEB DESK
Thousands of Shiite protesters chanted slogans against the Islamic State (IS) group on Wednesday as they carried the coffins of victims of a mosque attack that killed 33 people in the western Afghan city of Herat. Up to 5,000 angry mourners, including relatives of the dead, congregated near the site of yesterday’s suicide bomb attack. IS claimed responsibility for the latest atrocity targeting the minority community.
The mourners, who were set to march to the cemetery to bury their dead, also demanded that the government bring the perpetrators to justice and pledged to take revenge if it did not.
33 people killed and over 60 others wounded in a suicide bomb blast at a mosque in Afghanistan’s Herat city.
The bomber entered the mosque on Tuesday night and opened fire on worshippers before detonating explosives, where around 300 worshippers were attending evening prayers.
News agencies reported that one man acted as the suicide bomber whilst a second opened fire on worshippers in the predominantly Shiite region.
Shiites Muslims are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the Islamic State group that operates in the country’s east.
Herat has previously been the scene of several smaller attacks on Shiites. No group immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.