Afghanistan president backs suicide bomb fatwa after 14 killed

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned Monday’s suicide bomb attack outside a peace tent gathering of Muslim clerics in Kabul and backed their fatwa against suicide attacks, saying they violated the tenets of Islam.

The bomb killed 14 people, including seven clerics, and was the latest in a series of attacks that have underlined the deteriorating security ahead of parliamentary and district council elections set for Oct. 20.

The blast occurred near a Polytechnic University where clerics had gathered, reports said.

Reuters quoting security officials said a suicide bomber exploded a device near a tent where Muslim clerics had gathered to denounce terrorism.

Local media reported that at least 14 people, including 7 religious scholars and 4 security personnel, were killed in the attack.

“The attack that targeted the large gathering of clerics and religious scholars from across the country was in fact an attack against the heirs of the prophet of Islam and the values of Islam,” Ghani said in a video address, supporting the outlawing of suicide bombings.

“Unfortunately, the imposed war in Afghanistan every day takes lives of our innocent children.”

Islamic State, without providing evidence, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Taliban, seeking to reimpose strict Islamic rule after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led forces, denied involvement, but blamed the “American process”.