Turkey condemns terror attack in Afghan capital

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkey has condemned the recent terror attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, which killed at least one person and injured two others.

In a statement on Friday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry expressed "deep sorrow" over Thursday's "inhuman" attack.

"We condemn this inhuman terrorist attack at a place of worship during the holy month of Ramadan in the strongest possible terms. We wish Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives, speedy recovery to the wounded," the statement said.

The ministry reiterated Turkey’s "solidarity with friendly and brotherly people and Government of Afghanistan in the face of this terror attack that aims to disturb peace and public order in the country".

Two suspected suicide bombers attacked the mosque in Kabul, an official said late on Thursday.

The mosque was located in the western part of Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi area, which is home to several ethnic Shia Hazara people.

According to Interior Ministry deputy spokesman Najib Danish, security forces had stopped a suspected suicide attacker from entering the al-Zahra Mosque but a second suspected bomber somehow managed to detonate his explosives.

The blast left a suicide bomber dead and two security personnel wounded, Danish told Anadolu Agency.

Afghan media network Tolo TV quoted eyewitnesses as saying the death toll was as high as six.

Last year, up to 80 people got killed when two pro-Daesh suicide bombers hit a protest rally organized by the Hazara community in Kabul. This was followed by another suicide attack on the Baqar Ulom Mosque run by the Shia community, killing at least 27 more.