Afghanistan: Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) suicide bombing attack kills at least 46 people, wounds 143 others in Kunduz, Kunduz Province, Oct. 8 /update 1

Event

A suicide bombing attack claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K) killed at least 46 people and wounded 143 others at Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz, Kunduz Province, Oct. 8. The mosque is frequented by Shi'a worshippers. IS-K asserted that the attack targeted both Shi'a Muslims and the Taliban for the group's alleged willingness to expel Uighur Muslims.

A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are likely around the site of the blast over the coming hours. Similar militant attacks targeting Shi'a Muslims, other minority populations, and the Taliban are possible in Afghanistan over the near term.

Context

The Oct. 8 Kunduz blast is the deadliest attack in Afghanistan since U.S. and N.A.T.O. forces withdrew from the country and the Taliban took control in August. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also reports that the Oct. 8 Kunduz bombing marks the third deadly attack on religious institutions over the past week. IS-K claimed responsibility for a bomb blast that killed at least five people outside the Eid Gah Mosque in Kabul Oct. 3, while no group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a madrassa (i.e., an Islamic religious school) in Khost Oct. 6.

The Oct. 8 suicide blast and other recent militant attacks likely undermine the Taliban's attempt to portray itself as a guarantor of security and effective governance following its 20-year insurgency.

Advice

Avoid the area. Budget additional time to travel in Kunduz. Exercise heightened vigilance if traveling in Afghanistan; always carry personal identification documents. Follow all instructions issued by authorities.