19 injured in Afghan mosque blast

Moscow, Aug 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti) At least 19 people were injured in Afghanistan when a powerful bomb exploded during Friday prayers in a mosque, a media report said.

According to the Pajhwok news agency, the blast took place in a mosque in Chaparhar, a predominantly Pashtun populated area in Nangarhar province.

Eyewitnesses said the imam of the mosque was seriously injured.

According to the health ministry, the injured were rushed to a hospital in the provincial capital Jalalabad. Nine were discharged after receiving first medical aid.

Fazel Hadi Moslimyar, speaker of the Afghan senate, blamed the blast on Taliban militants.

The Taliban were yet to comment.

Friday's blast was the second mosque blast in Afghanistan in less than a week.

On July 30, at least five people, including a local judge, were killed when an explosive device went off at a mosque in Uruzgan province.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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