A bombing attack happened in Al-Taqwa mosque in Kabul, around 01:20pm (08:50 GMT), and killed or injured dozens of worshippers who came for Friday prayer.[1][2][3] Two people, including a scholar, Samiullah Rayhan, were killed and at least 16 wounded after a bomb explosion.[4] Although the Taliban regularly stages attacks in the area,[4][1][2] Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs said, the Taliban is responsible for the attack.[3] A spokesman for the Taliban’s group denied Rahimi's claim.[3] After Taliban’s new leader appointment, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, the number of attack to religious person increased.[3] A district police official, Jan Agha, said the bomb was fixed in the mosque microphone which was used by the mosque imam, Mawlawi Samiullah Raihan.[4]
Samiullah Rayhan, 36, a father of four children, was an imam at Al-Taqwa mosque.[3] He was a parliamentary adviser and the host of a daily religious television show.[3] His support for the families of fallen Afghan soldiers, condemnation of the Taliban’s suicide bombings,[3] women’s rights, and cooperation between Western military forces and the Afghan government were the main reasons for being targeted in the attack.[3][1][2] Firdaws Faramarz, a police spokesman said, the bomb explosion happened near the altar of the Al-Taqwa mosque, a place used by the mosque leader to initiate the prayers.[1][2]
According to the New York Times, Afghanistan's situation is difficult for religious scholars because supporting either the government or the Taliban lead to being targeted by the other.[3]
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