KUNDUZ: Mourners from Afghanistan's minority Shia community buried their dead on Saturday after a suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State group killed more than 60 people.
A gravedigger in the Shia cemetery overlooking the northern city of Kunduz told AFP they had handled 62 bodies, and reports suggested a final toll of up to 100.
The blast targeted Friday prayers in the packed Sayed Abad mosque in the city.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which the new Taliban security forces in Kunduz said was carried out by a suicide bomber.
Suicide bomber kills at least 55 at mosque in Afghanistan
The Sunni movement has vowed to protect Shias, who have faced persecution in Afghanistan in the past, but the community in Kunduz has been traumatised by the violence.
In the cemetery, Zemarai Mubarak Zada told AFP he had come to bury his 17-year-old nephew Milad, who had wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor.
"He didn't talk much, but he was very calm," the 42-year-old said of Milad. "He used to make sure nobody was upset by what he said or did.
"We are really hurt by what happened. He wanted to get married. He wanted to go to university."
Comments
Comments are closed.