Afghanistan: Blasts inside vans take 9 lives, IS claims responsibility 

Bomb explosions aborad two passenger vans in Afghanistan carrying Shi'ite Muslims killed at least nine people on Thursday, said an official. The official was quoted by Reuters. The blasts took place in northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Just last week, a Shi'ite mosque in the city was target of attack that saw an explosion killing 11 people.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for blasts inside the vans.

"The bombs were placed inside the vans; due to those blasts nine have been killed and 13 injured," Mohammad Asif Wazeri, spokesman of Mazar-e-Sharif's commander told Reuters.

The public transport vans were operated and used by the local Shi'ite community, he added.

Islamic State often targets Shi'ite community, a minority Muslim sect in Afghanistan. Islamic State has also posed challenges for the Taliban who currently assume power in a country ravaged by war for decades.

Taliban authorities who took over after the Western pullout said earlier this week they had eliminated most of Islamic State's presence in Afghanistan. But despite the assertion, attacks against Shi'ites continue in many parts of the country.

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Last week, blasts tore through a high school in a predominantly Shi'ite Hazara area in western Kabul, killing at least six.

(With inputs from agencies)