At least 16 killed in Afghanistan bombings; IS claims responsibility

• 

Four bombs ripped through minibuses and a mosque in Afghanistan, resulting in the death of at least 16, with the terrorist Islamic State (IS) group claiming some of the attacks.  

Since the Taliban seized power last August, the number of bombings has dropped across the country; however, several fatal attacks rocked the country during Ramadan last month.  

According to a health official and police, at least 10 people were killed on Wednesday when three bombs were put on separate minibuses and exploded in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. 

"The bombs were placed on three minibuses in different districts of the city," Asif Waziri, Balkh provincial police spokesman told AFP, adding that 15 other people were injured.  

Najibullah Tawana, the head of the Balkh health department, mentioned that three women were among those killed in the blasts.  

Hours after the explosions, the IS claimed responsibility for the minibus attacks on social media and said on Telegram that its "soldiers" were responsible for the three bombings.  

Late Wednesday, another bomb exploded inside a mosque in Kabul.  

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran tweeted early Thursday that six people had been killed in that blast and another 18 injured.  

Dozens of civilians were killed in Kabul and other cities in terrorist attacks during the month of Ramadan, and some were claimed by the IS.  

Explosion in Afghan capital results in several casualties

A blast in Kabul killed at least one woman and injured three others, according to Afghan police Spokesperson Khalid Zadran in late April.

"At least one woman died, three other people were injured by a magnetic bomb in... Kabul. Security officers arrived at the scene and launched an investigation," the Spokesperson wrote on Twitter.

In previous weeks in April, Afghanistan was plagued by a succession of devastating bombs. Two explosions rocked Afghan Mazar-i-Sharif, in the province of Balkh, killing at least 9 people and injuring 13.

One of the explosions occurred near an educational center, while another struck a vehicle. The IS has claimed responsibility for the twin explosives.

In another instance, an explosion targeted a mosque in Afghanistan’s Mazar-i-Sharif, killing at least 40 people and injuring over 100, Tolo News reported, citing local health authorities.

The walls of a mosque in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, shook due to a powerful explosion on April 29, which killed at least 10 people and wounded 20, reported a Taliban spokesperson.