A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan today, killing 36 people and wounding at least 70, officials said.
The attack in the town of Maymana, capital of northern Faryab province, came as people gathered at the mosque to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday, said the governor’s spokesman Jawid Didar. He said provincial officials, including the governor and the police chief, were inside the building when the bomber set off his explosives outside, where a large crowd had gathered. Casualties included police and soldiers.
It appeared to be the deadliest suicide attack in recent months. On September 4, 25 civilians were killed and more than 35 wounded in Nanghar province, while 12 people were killed and 47 wounded in a suicide attack in Wardak province on September 1.
The attack came as Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Taliban insurgents “to stop killing other Afghans”.
