KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan Interior Ministry says 3 gunmen have attacked a Shiite shrine in Kabul, taking an unknown number of hostages.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — A second attack in two days struck Shiite worshipers Wednesday in Afghanistan as a deadly bomb blast tore through crowds defiantly gathered to mark one of the holiest commemorations for Shiite Muslims.

The blast in the northern Balkh province - home to one of the most important Shiite shrines - followed an attack Tuesday in Kabul at a Shiite shrine that killed at least 17 people and raised fears of more violence during the Shiite processions and gatherings.

But Shiites refused appeals to stay off the streets, packing areas in Kabul and elsewhere for events marking Ashura, which ends a month of mourning for Imam Hussein, a grandson of the prophet Muhammad, who was killed in battle in the 7th century.

Details of the Balkh attack were not immediately clear, but police said at least 12 people were killed and 28 wounded.

The Islamic State reportedly claimed it was involved in orchestrating the Kabul attack, according to the group's media wing. Many Sunni-led militant factions, including the Islamic State and the Taliban, consider Shiites part of a heretical branch of Islam.

In the capital, the area around the assaulted Karte Sakhi shrine was cordoned off to traffic, and security was extremely heavy. Dozens of uniformed and plainclothes police officers were stationed on every block, and squads of gunmen in trucks circled the ethnic Hazara Shiite district of West Kabul.

In July, suicide bombers from the Islamic State killed 80 people at a peaceful protest by Hazaras in the same community.

Even before Tuesday's deadly violence, the Afghan government had urged people not to congregate during Ashura and expose themselves to danger. Five years ago, at another shrine in Kabul on Ashura, 70 people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by a violent Sunni group from Pakistan.

But Shiites thronged the streets in acts of defiance: pushing baby strollers, wearing sashes saying "We salute Hussein," hoisting flags from minivans and bicycles, and smearing their cars with red paint to symbolize the blood spilled by Hussein.

"We have zero fear," said Sayed Abdullah, 20, a geology student wearing a black tunic and green scarf to represent mourning and Islam. "Those who did this are determined to stop our gathering, but they will fail."

Like many people in the crowd, Abdullah said there was no enmity between Afghan minority Shiites and majority Sunni Muslims, and he accused outside forces of using violence in an attempt to sow sectarian division and hatred.

"There is unity and empathy between us," he said, adding that students of both sects had read the Koran and passed out alms together this week.

Nasir Alizada, 27, a metal worker, said he was at the rally that was bombed in July, where young Hazaras had gathered to protest discrimination and poor public services to their community. Although the group was weakened and splintered by the attack, it will "continue to struggle for our rights," he said. "We have no fear of the enemies of Islam."

Women brought their entire families out for the events, seemingly unfazed by the previous night's attack at the Karte Sakhi shrine. The ornately tiled and turreted shrine is surrounded by a cemetery and park that is a popular spot for picnics among Shiites, especially during new year celebrations in March under the calendar followed by Iranians and many other Shiites.

"We are worried that Hazaras will be targeted again, but we still want to take part. We are ready to give our lives," said a high school senior who gave her name as Roya. She and two friends had visited 12 shrines during the week, she said, and now they were on their way to visit Karte Sakhi as well.

Despite the festive air, tension was evident everywhere.

Police repeatedly shouted at drivers to keep moving, and hundreds of mosque security volunteers urged people not to bunch around the charity food stalls and the tents selling colorful banners and posters of Hussein and other historic figures in heroic and benign poses.

Men and boys performed ritual self-flagellation in frenzied circles in symbolic rites for Hussein's death. Drum-pounding funeral chants boomed from loudspeakers.

"This day is very important for us every year, so we cannot worry," said Mohammed Reza, 56, a shopkeeper. He held hands with his two young grandchildren, both wearing green headscarves, as they moved through the crowds.

"If there is another attack or explosion, it doesn't matter," he added. "We are here to dedicate ourselves to Hussein."</s>An Afghan official says 14 people have been killed in a militant attack on a Shiite shrine in the capital, Kabul.

The Interior Ministry’s spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said on Tuesday another 26 people were wounded in the attack on the Sakhi Shrine.

Contrary to earlier reports of three gunmen, Sediqqi says only one gunman attacked the shrine. He was shot dead by police.

The attack took place as Shiites gathered ahead of Wednesday’s Ashoura Day, which commemorates the death in 680 AD of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein.

At least three gunmen wearing military uniforms attacked a Shiite shrine in Kabul on Tuesday, taking an unknown number of people hostage, an Afghan official said.

One of the gunmen was shot dead by police, while two remained inside the shrine, said Sediq Sediqqi, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

The Public Health Ministry spokesman, Ismail Kawasi, said that so far 18 people had been wounded and were admitted to hospitals around the city.

On Wednesday, Shiites will mark Ashoura Day, the climax of the holy month, which in Afghanistan is a public holiday.

Kabul police had warned Shiites against large gatherings as attacks were expected. Lt. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzia, the commander of the Kabul garrison, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had received credible reports that Ashoura activities would be targeted and called for Shiites to hold the ceremonies “within limits.”

Shiites make up an estimated 15 percent of Afghanistan’s population of around 30 million people. Most Afghan Shiites are ethnic Hazaras. Militant Sunni fundamentalists such as the Taliban and the Islamic State group view Shiites as apostates and frequently attack Shiite mosques and public gatherings.

A July suicide bomb attack on a public demonstration by Hazaras against discrimination killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200.

In 2011, at least 54 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his device at another Kabul shrine where hundreds of people had gathered. A Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mazar—i—Sharif was hit at the same time, leaving four dead.</s>A funeral procession on Oct. 12 for one of the people killed in an attack on a Shiite shrine in Kabul the previous day. (Hedayatullah Amid/European Pressphoto Agency)

A second deadly attack on Shiite worshipers in two days killed at least 17 people and wounded 36 others when a remote-controlled bomb exploded outside a mosque in northern Afghanistan, as crowds in the capital and elsewhere gathered defiantly to commemorate one of Islam’s holiest days.

The blast near the city of Mazar-e Sharif, home to one of Afghanistan’s most important Shiite shrines, followed a mass-casualty attack Tuesday in Kabul at a Shiite shrine that raised fears of further violence during the Shiite processions and gatherings.

But Shiites refused official appeals to stay off the streets, packing areas in Kabul and elsewhere for events marking Ashura, which commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the prophet Muhammad who was killed in battle in the 7th century.

The Islamic State claimed Wednesday that it was involved in orchestrating the Kabul attack, according to the group’s media wing. The United Nations said 19 civilians were killed and more than 50 wounded when an attacker opened fire on Shiite worshipers in the “abhorrent” assault in Kabul on Tuesday night.

Many Sunni-led militant factions, including the Islamic State and the Taliban, consider Shiites part of a heretical branch of Islam. No group has taken responsibility for the Wednesday bombing,





[Taliban opens offensives before winter]

In the capital, the area around the assaulted Karte Sakhi shrine was cordoned off to traffic, and security was extremely heavy. Dozens of uniformed and plainclothes police officers were stationed on every block, and squads of gunmen in trucks circled the ethnic Hazara Shiite district of West Kabul.

In July, suicide bombers from the Islamic State killed 80 people at a peaceful protest by Hazaras in the same community.

Even before Tuesday’s deadly violence, the Afghan government had urged people not to congregate during Ashura and expose themselves to danger. Five years ago, at another shrine in Kabul on Ashura, 70 people were killed in a suicide bombing claimed by a violent Sunni group from Pakistan.

But on Wednesday, Shiites thronged the streets in acts of quiet and dramatic defiance: pushing baby strollers, wearing sashes saying, “We salute Hussein,” hoisting flags from minivans and bicycles and smearing their cars with red paint to symbolize the blood spilled by Hussein.

[Afghan warlord seeks peace but struggles to win trust.]

“We have zero fear,” said Sayed Abdullah, 20, a geology student wearing a black tunic and green scarf to represent mourning and Islam. “Those who did this are determined to stop our gathering, but they will fail.”

Like many in the crowd, Abdullah said there was no enmity between Afghan minority Shiites and majority Sunnis, and he accused outside forces of using violence in an attempt to sow sectarian division and hatred.

“There is unity and empathy between us,” he said, adding that students of both sects in his university dorm had read the Koran and passed out alms together this week.

Nasir Alizada, 27, a metal worker, said he was at the rally that was bombed in July, where young Hazaras had gathered to protest discrimination and poor public services to their community. Although the group was left splintered by the attack, it will “continue to struggle for our rights,” he said. “We have no fear of the enemies of Islam.”

Women brought their entire families out for the Ashura events, seemingly unfazed by the previous night’s attack at the Karte Sakhi shrine. The ornately tiled and domed shrine is surrounded by a cemetery and park that is a popular spot for family picnics among Shiites, especially during new year celebrations in March under the calendar followed by Iranians and many other Shiites.

“We are worried that Hazaras will be targeted again, but we still want to take part. We are ready to give our lives,” said a high school senior who gave her name as Roya. She and two friends had visited 12 shrines during the week, she said, and they were on their way to visit Karte Sakhi as well.

Despite the festive air, tension was evident everywhere. Police repeatedly shouted at drivers to keep moving, and mosque security volunteers urged people not to bunch around the charity food stalls and the tents selling colorful posters of Hussein and other historic Shiite figures in heroic poses.

Drum-pounding chants boomed from loudspeakers, creating a sense of mounting urgency. Later in the day, men and boys would perform ritual self-flagellation in frenzied circles, in symbolic penance for Hussein’s death. But others in the crowd seemed at peace despite the threat of danger.

“This day is very important for us every year, so we cannot worry,” said Mohammed Reza, 56, a shopkeeper. He held hands with his two young grandchildren, both wearing black headdresses, as they moved through the crowds.

“If there is another attack or explosion, it doesn’t matter,” he added. “We are here to dedicate ourselves to Hussein.”

Read more:

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says at least 17 people including a policeman are dead after a militant attack on a Shiite shrine in the capital Kabul late Tuesday.

Sediq Sediqqi, the Interior Ministry’s spokesman said Wednesday that another 62 people, including 12 policemen were wounded in the attack.

The attack on the Sakhi Shrine, Kabul’s biggest, happened as Shiite Muslims were mourning the death in 680 AD of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein.

Mourning climaxes on Ashoura Day, which falls on Wednesday, a public holiday in Afghanistan.

Shiites, mostly ethnic Hazaras, had been warned by authorities to avoid large gatherings as attacks were expected.

No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack.

In July, a suicide bomber attacked Hazaras at a public demonstration, killing 80 and wounding hundreds of others.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — At least 14 people were killed in a militant attack on a Shiite shrine in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Tuesday, an official said.

Another 26 people were wounded in the attack on Sakhi Shrine in the city’s western suburbs, the largest such shrine in Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

The dead included 13 civilians and one policeman, while three police officers were wounded, according to Sediqqi.

Contrary to earlier reports of three gunmen, Sediqqi said only one gunman was involved in the attack. He was shot dead by police.

The attack took place as Shiites gathered ahead of Wednesday’s Ashoura, a holy day of mourning that commemorates the death in 680 AD of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein.

Kabul police had warned Shiites against large gatherings as attacks were expected. Lt. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzia, the commander of the Kabul garrison, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had received credible reports that Ashoura activities would be targeted and called for Shiites to hold the ceremonies “within limits.”

Shiites make up an estimated 15 percent of Afghanistan’s population of around 30 million people. Most Afghan Shiites are ethnic Hazaras. Militant Sunni fundamentalists such as the Taliban and the Islamic State group view Shiites as apostates and frequently attack Shiite mosques and public gatherings.

A July suicide bomb attack in central Kabul that targeted a public demonstration by Hazaras against discrimination killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200.

In 2011, at least 54 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his device at another Kabul shrine where hundreds of people had gathered. A Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif was hit at the same time, leaving four dead.

Associated Press writer Lynne O’Donnell in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this story.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — The Islamic State claimed Wednesday it masterminded an attack on Shiite worshipers in Kabul that left at least 17 people dead during events marking one of the holiest days for Shiite Muslims.

The Amaq news agency, an Islamic State-linked media wing, asserted that the group was involved in planning Tuesday's bloodshed and said an Islamic State fighter was among the gunmen, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist websites.

The claim could not be independently confirmed, but the Islamic State has tried to expand its footholds in Afghanistan and has carried out previous attacks against Shiites in Iraq and elsewhere.

At least 62 people were wounded, including 12 policemen, during the battles at Kabul's Sakhi shrine, a domed hillside sanctuary that is one of the most popular places for Shiites to gather on holidays.

Police said that at least three attackers were involved, wearing police or military uniforms, and that they may have set off explosions before the gunfire.

A video posted on social media showed the shrine's massive tiled dome illuminated by bursts of gunfire, with sounds of screams and wailing in the background.

Officials remain on high alert Wednesday, the climactic final day of the month of Muharram, when Shiite men ritually flagellate themselves in the streets as a sign of mourning. The Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs had asked people not to congregate in large numbers or cover their car windows with paint, a common practice during Muharram that could potentially hide attackers.

Five years ago, suicide bombers attacked another Shiite shrine in Kabul on the same day, known as Ashura, killing more than 50 people, and bombs were also detonated at mosques in two other Afghan cities. That series of attacks was claimed by a violent Sunni sectarian group based in Pakistan that is officially banned.

Officials were also worried about the potential for violence because of a recent bombing in the west Kabul community of ethnic Hazara Shiites. On July 23, bombers attacked a peaceful protest there, killing more than 80 people. The attack was claimed by a regional affiliate of the Islamic State.

Ashura is an emotionally charged day of mourning on which all Muslims, but especially Shiites, commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the prophet Muhammad, who was killed in a battle in A.D. 680 in what is now Iraq. It has also become an increasingly bold statement of religious identity by Hazara Shiites.

All week, excitement and tension have built in the community, with loudspeakers blaring rhythmic dirges, and thousands of brightly colored flags rippling in the streets and affixed to caravans of honking cars. Food and drink have been given away at dozens of stands draped in black, and giant black paper portals have been erected along many streets.

Security volunteers from local mosques have kept a watchful eye on crowds roaming the streets and have sometimes searched bundles and purses. On Monday, one volunteer urged a reporter not to stop and interview people because it could create a target for attack.

In Afghanistan's Muslim society, the Shiite minority makes up about 30 percent of the populace, and relations with the Sunni majority have historically been amicable. But Shiites were suppressed during Taliban rule in the late 1990s, and the rise of radical sectarian groups such as the Islamic State has also created tensions.

Shiite Hazaras, historically ostracized, have bounded back under democratic rule since 2001, flexing increasing political and religious muscle. In the past year, a Hazara group called Enlightenment has demanded more services and justice for the community and held numerous rallies. It was one of its rallies in July that was bombed by the Islamic State.

The Washington Post's Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan official said 14 people have been killed in a militant attack on a Shiite shrine in the capital, Kabul.

The Interior Ministry's spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said on Tuesday another 26 people were wounded in the attack on the Sakhi Shrine.

He said that 13 civilians and one policeman were killed, and that three police were among the wounded.

Contrary to earlier reports of three gunmen, Sediqqi said only one gunman attacked the shrine. He was shot dead by police.

Shiites had gathered at the Sakhi Shrine, the largest in the capital, as part of annual commemorations for Muhharam, a month of mourning to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein — the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed — in Karbala, Iraq, in 680 AD.

On Wednesday, Shiites will mark Ashoura Day, the climax of the holy month, which in Afghanistan is a public holiday.

Kabul police had warned Shiites against large gatherings as attacks were expected. Lt. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzia, the commander of the Kabul garrison, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had received credible reports that Ashoura activities would be targeted and called for Shiites to hold the ceremonies "within limits."

Shiites make up an estimated 15 percent of Afghanistan's population of around 30 million people. Most Afghan Shiites are ethnic Hazaras. Militant Sunni fundamentalists such as the Taliban and the Islamic State group view Shiites as apostates and frequently attack Shiite mosques and public gatherings.

A July suicide bomb attack on a public demonstration by Hazaras against discrimination killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200.

In 2011, at least 54 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his device at another Kabul shrine where hundreds of people had gathered. A Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif was hit at the same time, leaving four dead.</s>KABUL — At least three gunmen wearing military uniforms attacked a Shiite shrine in Kabul on Tuesday, taking an unknown number of people hostage, an Afghan official said.

One of the gunmen was shot dead by police, while two remained inside the shrine, said Sediq Sediqqi, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

The Public Health Ministry spokesman, Ismail Kawasi, said that so far 18 people had been wounded and were admitted to hospitals around the city.

Shiites had gathered at the Sakhi Shrine, the largest in the capital, as part of annual commemorations for Muhharam, a month of mourning to commemorate the death of Iman Hussein — the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed — in Karbala, Iraq, in 680 AD.

On Wednesday, Shiites will mark Ashoura Day, the climax of the holy month, which in Afghanistan is a public holiday.

Kabul police had warned Shiites against large gatherings as attacks were expected. Lt. Gen. Gul Nabi Ahmadzia, the commander of the Kabul garrison, told The Associated Press on Monday that he had received credible reports that Ashoura activities would be targeted and called for Shiites to hold the ceremonies "within limits."

Shiites make up an estimated 15 of Afghanistan's population of around 30 million people. Most Afghan Shiites are ethnic Hazaras. Militant Sunni fundamentalists such as the Taliban and the Islamic State group view Shiites as apostates and frequently attack Shiite mosques and public gatherings.

A July suicide bomb attack on a public demonstration by Hazaras against discrimination killed at least 80 people and wounded more than 200.

In 2011, at least 54 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his device at another Kabul shrine where hundreds of people had gathered. A Shiite mosque in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif was hit at the same time, leaving four dead.</s>KABUL — An Afghan official says at least 17 people including a policeman are dead after a militant attack on a Shiite shrine in the capital Kabul late Tuesday.

Sediq Sediqqi, the Interior Ministry's spokesman said Wednesday that another 62 people, including 12 policemen were wounded in the attack.

The attack on the Sakhi Shrine, Kabul's biggest, happened as Shiite Muslims were mourning the death in 680 AD of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein.

Mourning climaxes on Ashoura Day, which falls on Wednesday, a public holiday in Afghanistan.

Shiites, mostly ethnic Hazaras, had been warned by authorities to avoid large gatherings as attacks were expected.

No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack.

In July, a suicide bomber attacked Hazaras at a public demonstration, killing 80 and wounding hundreds of others.
A bomb explosion among crowds of Shiite Muslims gathered to mark Ashura, one of their holiest commemorations, kills at least 12 people and wounds 28 others. Also, authorities revise the death toll to 17 from yesterday's attack on a Kabul Shiite shrine.