Bomb on Busy Kabul Street in Shiite Area Kills at Least 8, Injures 22 on Eve of Ashura

A bomb exploded on a busy street in Kabul, Afghanistan loaded with shoppers a day before the Muslim Ashura celebration that is mainly observed by Shiite Muslims. The bomb killed at least 8 people and injured 22, Reuters reported. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack occurred in Kabul’s western district, which is frequented by members of the minority Shiite Muslim community; Islamic State is made up of Sunni Muslims. Ashura is a day of commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and is mainly observed by Shiites. Another explosion in Kabul, on Friday, claimed by Islamic Jihad, killed at least eight people and injured 18. The Taliban, a Sunni Muslim group that has controlled Afghanistan for the last year, said they will work to better protect the Shiite community, including mosques.