US condemns deadly suicide attack at mosque in southern Afghanistan

The United States on Friday condemned the latest suicide attack on a Shia mosque in Afghanistan's Kandahar province and offered condolences to the victims and their families.

The attack marked the second consecutive week that a Shia mosque has been targeted, after an explosion last Friday in Kunduz, which left over 100 people dead.

"We strongly condemn the attack on a Shia mosque in Kandahar today, the third such attack this month, and offer our condolences to the victims and their families. The Afghan people have the right to live and worship in peace and safety whichever religion or belief they choose," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a tweet.

At least 47 people have been killed and 70 other suffered injuries in an explosion inside a Shia mosque in Kandahar province on Friday.

According to Al Jazeera, the explosion took place during the Friday prayers.

Hafiz Sayeed, the Taliban's chief for Kandahar's department of culture and information, reported the number of dead and wounded, Al Jazeera reported.

Sayed Khosti, Afghanistan's Interior Ministry spokesperson said on Twitter: "We are saddened to learn that an explosion took place in a mosque of the Shia brotherhood in the first district of Kandahar city in which a number of our compatriots were martyred and wounded."

Taliban special forces arrived in the area "to determine the nature of the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice", he added.

The United Nations had condemned the latest terror attack in Kandahar. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said perpetrators of the attack need to be held responsible.

"Terrorism continues in Afghanistan with at least 30 killed, scores injured, in suicide attack at Kandahar's largest Shia mosque at the time of Friday prayers. UN condemns the latest atrocity targeting a religious institution and worshippers. Those responsible need to be held to account," the UNAMA tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )