Attack on Afghanistan mosque kills 29 (Lead)

Kabul Aug 2 (IANS) A suicide attack on a mosque in the Afghan city of Herat has left at least 29 people dead and 63 others wounded said an official.

Jailani Farha a spokesman for the Herat provincial governor said an attacker on Tuesday shot at the worshippers before entering the mosque and detonating explosives Efe news reported.

Hospitals in the city received 29 bodies and 63 injured survivors a dozen of them in critical condition Rafiq Shirzai a provincial health department spokesman said.

He said that authorities were still working to determine how many people took part in the attack which took place when as worshippers were leaving after the evening prayer.

Attacks on the minority Shia community are common in Afghanistan.

Six people were killed and eight injured in June when an Islamic State suicide bomber struck a Shia mosque in Kabul during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A record 1 662 Afghan civilians died in political and sectarian violence in the first six months of this year according to a UN figure.

--IANS
pgh/