A suicide bomber struck a wedding reception at a minority Shiite neighbourhood in Afghanistan's Kabul, killing 63 and wounding 182, according to reports. Taliban has denied responsibility for the strike. "Among the wounded are women and children," interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.
The blast comes at a time when the United States and Taliban are negotiating a peace treaty, on the condition that the US withdraws from Afghanistan. Also to be considered is the fact that just two days back, a Taliban leader was believed to be among those targeted in a suicide blast in Pakistan's Balochistan. A powerful bomb ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province, killing at least five persons and injuring 24 others. Prominent Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada is considered among those perished in the blast.
The blast occurred at the mosque in Kuchlak area, 25 kilometres from Quetta, on Friday. "Five persons were killed and 24 others injured in the attack," Inspector General of Baluchistan Police Mohsin Hassan Butt said. The blast was carried out with an improvised explosive device (IED) that contained around eight to 10 kilograms of explosives which was planted inside the mosque, he said.
"The head of the mosque is among five killed in the blast," he said.
Update: ISIS has released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
-Inputs from PTI