Turkey commiserates with Afghanistan over Daesh terrorist attack
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Turkey's capital Ankara in this undated file photo. (File Photo)


Turkey's Foreign Ministry extended condolences to the people of Afghanistan after a deadly suicide attack at a mosque in Kabul on Sunday.

At least eight people were killed and 20 others wounded when a bomb went off near the entrance of the Eidgah Mosque in Kabul.

"We are saddened to receive the news that a bomb explosion that went off at the entrance of the Eidgah Mosque during a funeral prayer in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, claimed lives and wounded many people," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We offer our condolences to those who lost their lives in this heinous and inhumane attack, wish a speedy recovery to the injured, and hope that stability and security in the country will be established as soon as possible," the ministry added.

People had gathered at the mosque for a memorial service for the late mother of Zabihullah Mujahid, the deputy minister of information and culture for the Taliban government and the group's longtime spokesperson.

Mujahid earlier said on Twitter that "a "number of civilians" had died in the blast "near the entrance of the Eidgah Mosque in Kabul."

Qari Saeed Khosti, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry in the interim Taliban government, said three people have been arrested in connection with the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast but the Taliban launched an operation against a Daesh sleeper cell.

Daesh maintains a strong presence in the eastern province of Nangarhar and considers the Taliban an enemy. It has claimed several attacks against them, including several killings in the provincial capital of Jalalabad. Attacks in Kabul have so far been rare.