​​Islamic State claims credit for deadly mosque bombing in Afghanistan

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing that left 47 people dead on Friday in southern Afghanistan, The Associated Press reported.

The Sunni extremist group said late Friday in a statement over social media that guards outside of the Shiite mosque in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province had been shot and killed by two of its members, and that one explosive had erupted inside the mosque while the other was detonated at the mosque’s entrance, according to the AP.

Though the Taliban believe that 47 people have died, the wire service noted that 63 graves had been dug. 

The two members who conducted the suicide bombing were identified as two Afghans, Abu Ali al-Baluchi and Anas al-Khurasani, according to the Islamic State’s affiliated news agency.

The deadly Friday suicide bombing came one week after ISIS-K had conducted another suicide bombing in Kunduz, Afghanistan, while Friday noon prayer was underway. More than 40 people died in the deadly attack with many others injured. The mosque was also a Shiite mosque, a religious group that has been previously targeted by the Sunni extremist group.

ISIS-K has also claimed credit for several other attacks, including an attack at another mosque that left two dead earlier this month. The organization also claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing near the Kabul airport as Afghanistan evacuations were underway in late August, killing 13 U.S. service members and dozens more Afghans.

The recent ISIS-K attacks depict a turbulent picture for both the Taliban, who is considered an enemy of ISIS-K’s, and Afghan civilians and may also further prolong fears that terrorism organizations will again grow and spread within Afghanistan under Taliban rule.