<p>Over 30 people killed and more than 50 injured after three separate blasts occurred on Thursday in Afghanistan, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province, and a third in Kunduz city in Kunduz province.</p>

<p>According to the Ministry of Interior, the initial blast occurred in Kabul's PD5 district, and two youngsters were mildly injured.</p>

<p>The second blast occurred in the mosque of Seh Dokan in Mazar-e-Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh.At least 10 worshippers were killed and another 40 injured in a powerful explosion.</p>

<p>In the third blast, eleven persons were killed or injured in Kunduz, Afghanistan's northernmost city.</p>

<p>The province health authority's Najeebullah Sahel said hospitals have received casualties from a bomb and that the number could rise, but he did not specify the location or source of the incident.</p>

<p>The attack on Shia mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif&nbsp;is the second attack targeting Shias in the last 48 hours.</p>

<p>“A blast happened in 2th district inside a Shi’ite mosque, more than 20 killed and injured,” Mohammad Asif Wazeri, the spokesman for the Taliban commander n Mazar-e-Sharif said.<br />
<br />
Mazar-e-Sharif&nbsp;is&nbsp;the&nbsp;capital&nbsp;of&nbsp;Afghanistan's&nbsp;Balkh&nbsp;province.</p>

<p>Dr Ghawsuddin Anwari, head of the main hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, said the dead and wounded were brought in ambulances and private cars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The explosion at the Sai Doken mosque in northern Mazar-e-Sharif occurred as scores of worshippers knelt in prayer as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramzan, the report added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Obaidullah Abidi, a spokeswoman for the provincial security agency in Kunduz, confirmed that a bomb occurred in the Sardawar region of the province's capital city. The number of people killed or injured in the Kunduz blast has yet to be determined.</p>

<p>No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.</p>

<p>The bomb occurred two days after bombings ripped through a high school in western Kabul's largely Shia Hazara district, killing at least six people and injuring 11.</p>

<p>Sunni extremist groups, such as Islamic State, routinely target Afghanistan's Shia community, a religious minority.</p>

<p>Since assuming power in August, Afghanistan's Taliban rulers claim to have secured the country, but international authorities and analysts warn there is still a possibility of militancy rising, and the Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks.<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch | Gravitas Plus: The Shia-Sunni Divide: Understanding the split</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-the-shia-sunni-divide-understanding-the-split-421352/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>


Over 30 people killed and more than 50 injured after three separate blasts occurred on Thursday in Afghanistan, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province, and a third in Kunduz city in Kunduz province.

Over 30 people killed and more than 50 injured after three separate blasts occurred on Thursday in Afghanistan, one in Kabul, one in Mazar-e-Sharif in Balkh province, and a third in Kunduz city in Kunduz province. According to the Ministry of Interior, the initial blast occurred in Kabul's PD5 district, and two youngsters were mildly injured. The second blast occurred in the mosque of Seh Dokan in Mazar-e-Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh.At least 10 worshippers were killed and another 40 injured in a powerful explosion. In the third blast, eleven persons were killed or injured in Kunduz, Afghanistan's northernmost city. The province health authority's Najeebullah Sahel said hospitals have received casualties from a bomb and that the number could rise, but he did not specify the location or source of the incident. The attack on Shia mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif is the second attack targeting Shias in the last 48 hours. “A blast happened in 2th district inside a Shi’ite mosque, more than 20 killed and injured,” Mohammad Asif Wazeri, the spokesman for the Taliban commander n Mazar-e-Sharif said. Mazar-e-Sharif is the capital of Afghanistan's Balkh province. Dr Ghawsuddin Anwari, head of the main hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif, said the dead and wounded were brought in ambulances and private cars. The explosion at the Sai Doken mosque in northern Mazar-e-Sharif occurred as scores of worshippers knelt in prayer as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramzan, the report added. Meanwhile, Obaidullah Abidi, a spokeswoman for the provincial security agency in Kunduz, confirmed that a bomb occurred in the Sardawar region of the province's capital city. The number of people killed or injured in the Kunduz blast has yet to be determined. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far. The bomb occurred two days after bombings ripped through a high school in western Kabul's largely Shia Hazara district, killing at least six people and injuring 11. Sunni extremist groups, such as Islamic State, routinely target Afghanistan's Shia community, a religious minority. Since assuming power in August, Afghanistan's Taliban rulers claim to have secured the country, but international authorities and analysts warn there is still a possibility of militancy rising, and the Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks. Watch | Gravitas Plus: The Shia-Sunni Divide: Understanding the split

Afghanistan: Over 30 killed as multiple blasts hit Kabul, Balkh and Kunduz

<p>In several areas of Afghanistan, Shia minorities are constantly attacked, and these horrific attacks and killings are paving the way for a major migration of the community to Iran.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Human Rights Watch reported&nbsp;that the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), an armed organisation connected with the Islamic State (ISIS), is committing crimes against humanity through bombings and other targeted assaults against Afghanistan's Shia religious minority.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Attacks against Shias have increased in regions that are not covered by the media.</p>

<p>Minorities, like as the Hazaras, are migrating to Iran.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch | Gravitas Plus: The Shia-Sunni Divide: Understanding the split</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-the-shia-sunni-divide-understanding-the-split-421352/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The regional Islamic State group has been blamed for the majority of sectarian assaults against Shia civilians in recent years.</p>

<p>The group considers Shia Muslims to be non-Muslims, and has targeted them for assassination everywhere it operates, according to its extremist interpretation of Islam.</p>

<p>When the Taliban occupied Afghanistan in the 1990s, they oppressed the Hazara minority, who makes up the majority of the country's Shia, although they have not claimed any sectarian assaults in recent years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since at least 2015, when the Islamist armed organisation began attacking mosques, hospitals, schools, and other civilian facilities, especially in predominately Shia districts, the ISKP has presented a severe threat to Hazaras and other Afghan civilians.</p>

<p>At least 1,500 civilians have been murdered in these attacks, with thousands more injured, the majority of them are religious minorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In several areas of Afghanistan, Shia minorities are constantly attacked, and these horrific attacks and killings are paving the way for a major migration of the community to Iran.

In several areas of Afghanistan, Shia minorities are constantly attacked, and these horrific attacks and killings are paving the way for a major migration of the community to Iran. Human Rights Watch reported that the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), an armed organisation connected with the Islamic State (ISIS), is committing crimes against humanity through bombings and other targeted assaults against Afghanistan's Shia religious minority. Attacks against Shias have increased in regions that are not covered by the media. Minorities, like as the Hazaras, are migrating to Iran. Watch | Gravitas Plus: The Shia-Sunni Divide: Understanding the split The regional Islamic State group has been blamed for the majority of sectarian assaults against Shia civilians in recent years. The group considers Shia Muslims to be non-Muslims, and has targeted them for assassination everywhere it operates, according to its extremist interpretation of Islam. When the Taliban occupied Afghanistan in the 1990s, they oppressed the Hazara minority, who makes up the majority of the country's Shia, although they have not claimed any sectarian assaults in recent years. Since at least 2015, when the Islamist armed organisation began attacking mosques, hospitals, schools, and other civilian facilities, especially in predominately Shia districts, the ISKP has presented a severe threat to Hazaras and other Afghan civilians. At least 1,500 civilians have been murdered in these attacks, with thousands more injured, the majority of them are religious minorities. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan: Attacks on Shia minority trigger mass exodus to Iran

<p>Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the suicide attack in the Darulaman area of Kabul city <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/over-40-dead-100-injured-as-blast-rips-through-wedding-party-in-afghanistans-kabul-243740">which killed at least 63 people</a>.</p>

<p>''I strongly condemn the inhumane attack on the wedding hall in Kabul last night. My top priority for now is to reach out to the families of victims of this barbaric attack. On behalf of the nation I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were martyred,'' Ghani tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For those who are wounded, I pray for your speedy recovery. I have ordered the relevant authorities to urgently assist in managing the wounded. In response to this targeted attack I have called an extraordinary security meeting to review and prevent such security lapses.</p>
— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashrafghani/status/1162969354654355456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ghani also said that the Taliban cannot escape the blame for that attack.</p>

<p>"<meta charset="utf-8" />Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateBuilder?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">#StateBuilder</a> have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent," Ghani said in a post on Twitter.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateBuilder?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StateBuilder</a> have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent.</p>
— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashrafghani/status/1162969356780867590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>At least 63 people were killed and over 182 were injured following the attack.</p>

<p>Most of the injured were later taken to a hospital in the city.</p>

<p>According to eyewitnesses, the suicide bomber laid explosives among the wedding participants and detonated them.</p>

<p>People say that almost a thousand people were invited to the ceremony.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dozens-killed-injured-in-kabul-wedding-hall-explosion-243744/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>There are reports that this could end up being the deadliest attack on Kabul in recent times.</p>

<p>The blast happened in western Kabul, a predominantly Shia locality. The Shia minority has been targeted by the Taliban multiple times over the years.</p>

<p>These attacks come at a time when the United States are discussing a peace deal in Afghanistan, a deal that involves the Taliban giving up arms.</p>


Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the suicide attack in the Darulaman area of Kabul city which killed at least 63 people. ''I strongly condemn the inhumane attack on the wedding hall in Kabul last night.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday condemned the suicide attack in the Darulaman area of Kabul city which killed at least 63 people. ''I strongly condemn the inhumane attack on the wedding hall in Kabul last night. My top priority for now is to reach out to the families of victims of this barbaric attack. On behalf of the nation I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were martyred,'' Ghani tweeted. For those who are wounded, I pray for your speedy recovery. I have ordered the relevant authorities to urgently assist in managing the wounded. In response to this targeted attack I have called an extraordinary security meeting to review and prevent such security lapses. — Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) August 18, 2019 × Ghani also said that the Taliban cannot escape the blame for that attack. " Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence #StateBuilder have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent," Ghani said in a post on Twitter. Taliban cannot absolve themselves of blame, for they provide platform for terrorists. Today is the day of mourning, hence #StateBuilder have cancelled today's gathering at the Loya Jirga tent. — Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) August 18, 2019 × At least 63 people were killed and over 182 were injured following the attack. Most of the injured were later taken to a hospital in the city. According to eyewitnesses, the suicide bomber laid explosives among the wedding participants and detonated them. People say that almost a thousand people were invited to the ceremony. There are reports that this could end up being the deadliest attack on Kabul in recent times. The blast happened in western Kabul, a predominantly Shia locality. The Shia minority has been targeted by the Taliban multiple times over the years. These attacks come at a time when the United States are discussing a peace deal in Afghanistan, a deal that involves the Taliban giving up arms.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani condemns Kabul suicide attack that killed 63, says Taliban can't escape blame

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Afghanistan: Over 30 killed as multiple blasts hit Kabul, Balkh and Kunduz

Afghanistan: Attacks on Shia minority trigger mass exodus to Iran

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani condemns Kabul suicide attack that killed 63, says Taliban can't escape blame