News - World: A large explosion has hit a Shia mosque in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, killing at least five people and wounding several dozen others.

Mohammad Asif Wazeri, the spokesman for the Taliban commander in Mazar-i-Sharif, told Reuters that the blast happened inside a Shia mosque in the 2nd District on Thursday, leaving more than 20 killed and injured.

Hospital sources said at least five people were killed and several dozen injured as the explosion went off when worshipers were saying their prayers at the mosque, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition.

The sources further said all hospital rooms were filled to capacity and there were no free beds at the moment.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Afghanistan has seen relative calm since the Taliban, who had previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, took power again on August 15 last year and subsequently announced the formation of a caretaker government.

The group’s resurgence came amid the hasty and chaotic departure of American forces from the country.

Source: Press TV