Explosion in grounds of Afghanistan mosque used as a voter registration centre kills 12

A bomb blast at a voter registration centre in the grounds of an eastern Afghanistan mosque killed at least 12 people and wounded 33.

The attack took place in Khost city, where a bomb was placed in the tent used by voters to register for the October polls, Khost provincial police chief Abdul Hanan Zadran told AFP.

“A crowd of people who had come out of the mosque had gathered to register,” Mr Zadran said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the Taliban and a local ISIS affiliate reject democratic elections and have targeted them.

ISIS is not known to have a presence in Khost but it has expanded its footprint into other areas in recent years. Last month, an ISIS suicide bomber attacked a voter registration centre in Kabul, killing 60 people and wounding 130.

The independent electoral commission hopes to register up to 14 million adults at more than 7,000 centres. But if the current trend continues, fewer than 3 million people will be registered to vote by next month’s deadline.

Authorities have used planes to drop leaflets to raise awareness about the elections, which are regarded as a test run for next year’s presidential ballot. A radio and TV campaign is also under way.

The commission has placed many of the registration centres in schools and mosques, leading to fears for pupils and worshippers’ safety.

The Taliban and ISIS have launched a relentless wave of attacks since the start of the year, killing scores of civilians.

Meanwhile, a vehicle carrying shopkeepers to a market yesterday hit a roadside bomb in Afghanistan’s northern Faryab province, killing seven of them. Police spokesman Karim Yuresh said another civilian was wounded in the attack, in an area where the Taliban and ISIS are active.

In the eastern Paktia province, a car bomb killed two people. Abdullah Hsart, the provincial governor’s spokesman, said the attack on Saturday was aimed at Hazart Mohammad Rodwal, a district chief, who was wounded. The Taliban claimed reponsibility.

The electoral commission has placed many of the registration centres in schools and mosques, leading to fears for pupils and worshippers’ safety