Kabul: A suicide bomber has attacked a mosque, killing at least 32
worshippers and leaving 34 others injured, officials in northern Afghanistan
said on Friday.
Authorities say the bomber struck the mosque in Maymana, the
capital of Faryab province, on Friday, the first day of the four-day Eid
al-Adha holiday.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suicide
bombings are a favorite weapon of Taliban Islamists trying to topple the
Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military says it is investigating the
deaths of two American service members after a man wearing an Afghan National
Police uniform used his weapon against them.
Military officials said Thursday's incident occurred in
Uruzgan province. It is not clear if the attacker was a member of the Afghan
National Security Forces.
The incident bears the hallmark of a so-called “insider
attack,” in which Afghan security forces or insurgents disguised in Afghan or
coalition uniforms open fire on NATO personnel. Such attacks have escalated
this year, killing more than 50 coalition troops.