News World Deadly blast hits mosque in Afghanistan's Khost province, 27 army personnel killed, 57 injured

Deadly blast hits mosque in Afghanistan's Khost province, 27 army personnel killed, 57 injured

Captain Abdullah, a spokesman for the 2nd Regiment of Army in Mandozai district in Khost said the ANA members were busy in Friday prayers when the suicide attack happened at around 1:30 pm Kabul time.

Representative Image. Representative Image.

At least 27 army personnel were killed and 57 others were injured in a suicide bomb blast that targeted soldiers inside a mosque in their base in Khost province.

The base is located in eastern Khost province, a stronghold of the Haqqani-linked Taliban group.

Captain Abdullah, a spokesman for the 2nd Regiment of Army in Mandozai district in Khost said the ANA members were busy in Friday prayers when the suicide attack happened at around 1:30 pm Kabul time.

Speaking to AP, Afghan military spokesperson Captain Abdullah said that it still wasn't clear whether the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber or whether a remotely detonated device was used.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, but Khost province is a stronghold of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network.

The Taliban, however, have in the past decried attacks on religious gatherings but have almost daily targeted Afghan military and security forces.

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