Blast hits mosque in northeastern Afghanistan, killing worshippers

as a result of which a number of our compatriots were martyred and wounded," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter, adding that a special unit was arriving at the scene to investigate. The attacks have underscored security challenges for the Taliban, which took over the country in August and have since carried out operations against Islamic State cells in Kabul.

A blast tore through a mosque in Afghanistan's northeastern province of Kunduz on Friday, a Taliban official said, causing multiple deaths.

"This afternoon, an explosion took place in a mosque of our Shiite compatriots ... as a result of which a number of our compatriots were martyred and wounded," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter, adding that a special unit was arriving at the scene to investigate. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack or the number of casualties.

There have been several attacks, including one at a mosque in Kabul, in recent weeks, some of which have been claimed by Islamic State. The attacks have underscored security challenges for the Taliban, which took over the country in August and have since carried out operations against Islamic State cells in Kabul. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)