Afghanistan: Attack on Shi’a mosque in Kabul August 25 /update 1

Event

On Friday, August 25, three to four armed assailants reportedly attacked the Shi'a Imam Zaman Grand Mosque - located in the Qala-e-Najarha district of the capital Kabul - during Friday afternoon prayers. A suicide bomber detonated his explosives in the courtyard of the mosque while other assailants used gunfire and grenades to engage the Afghan Special Police Unit. The causality toll remains unknown and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet. 

Context

This incident comes about a month after attacks on the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul's Shar-e Now, for which the Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility, and the Shi'a Jawadia mosque in the western city of Herat, which killed 29 people. Although the Taliban and the affiliated Haqqani network are responsible for the majority of terrorist attacks in Kabul, IS has become increasingly active in the capital since July 2016. IS also claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Ministry of Defense checkpoint on April 12. Its branch in the region, Khorasan Province, was formed in 2015.

Advice

Individuals present in Kabul are advised to monitor the situation and avoid the blast area.

Due to major security concerns, individuals throughout Afghanistan are urged to keep a safe distance from large gatherings, military convoys, government buildings, and crowded urban areas. Many Western governments advise their citizens against travel to Afghanistan due to the high threat of kidnapping and terrorism, including frequent attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, local civilians and politicians, and individuals working in the humanitarian and reconstruction fields. Travel to the country should only be undertaken with proper security protocols in place.