Toll in Afghan suicide attacks reaches 72

Kabul, Oct 21 (IANS) The toll in two suicide attacks that took place in Kabul and Ghor province has increased to 71 with 83 others injured, Afghan authorities said on Saturday.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attacks that took place on Friday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.

Forty-one worshippers died and 61 were injured when a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside the Imam Zamam mosque in Kabul's Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood which is predominantly populated by the Shia Hazara minority.

Twenty-nine people were killed inside the mosque while 12 others succumbed to their injuries in or on the way to hospitals, mosque officials told the local media.

About an hour before the blast in Kabul, a suicide attacker detonated explosives at the Khwajagan mosque in the Dulina district of Ghor province. The attack occurred as an important anti-Taliban militiaman, Fazal Hayat Khan, and his men were praying inside, provincial authorities said.

At least 31 people were killed in this attack.

In a separate incident on Saturday morning, three rockets were fired at a diplomatic area in Kabul.

"The attack occurred at around 6.10 a.m., and the rockets struck localities in Police District 10 and Police District 9," a witness told Xinhua news agency.

One rocket reportedly hit a wall at an embassy and two others exploded close to Resolute Support headquarters, Tolo News quoted the police as saying.

However, there were reports of any casualties or injuries and no group has claimed responsibility for this attack.