Blast in Shiite area of Kabul, says Taliban official

The Islamic State group — a top rival of the Taliban — has previously targeted mosques and worshippers, especially members of Afghanistan’s Shiite community in attacks.

There was a blast Friday morning in a Shiite neighborhood of the Afghan capital Kabul, a Taliban official confirmed. Local media reported the blast was inside an education center in the Dashti Barchi area.

Taliban fighters stand guard at the explosion site, near a mosque, in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 23.  (Representational image/ AP)

Abdul Nafi Takor, a Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the blast was in the early morning but was unable to provide more details.

“Our teams have dispatched at the site of the blast to find out more details,” Takor said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest in a steady stream of violence since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan just over a year ago.

The Islamic State group — a top rival of the Taliban — has previously targeted mosques and worshippers, especially members of Afghanistan’s Shiite community in attacks.