18 die in Kabul shrine attack

Kabul, October 12 

The Islamic State on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a mass shooting that killed at least 18 worshippers at a shrine in the Afghan capital, raising fears of sectarian violence after a string of attacks on the country's Shia minority.

The claim to Tuesday's attack, released online, came as the community observed Ashura, one of its holiest days, although commemorations have been subdued because of security fears.

On Wednesday afternoon, an explosion outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan killed at least 14 persons and wounded 24 at a similar gathering. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for that assault. Islamic State had earlier targeted members of Kabul's Shia community in a suicide bombing in July that killed more than 80 people and wounded 130.

The attacker in Kabul, said to be wearing a police uniform, entered the Karte Shakhi mosque on Tuesday night and opened fire on a crowd of Shia Muslims marking Ashura, which commemorates the seventh-century death of a grandson of the prophet Mohammad.

In its statement, Islamic State said the attacker detonated a suicide vest after firing all his ammunition, but security forces said they shot the man. A Reuters video shows the suspected attacker's body intact, with no sign of an explosive vest.

Relatives carried dead and wounded victims away from the blood-stained steps of the mosque, which is known for its bright blue tiles and domes.  — Reuters