KHOST, Afghanistan: Burqa-clad suicide bombers struck a Shia mosque in eastern Afghanistan Friday as it was crowded with worshippers for prayers, killing at least 39 people and wounding more than 80 in the latest attack on the minority.

Officials said they feared the death toll could rise after the assault, the latest targeting civilians who have borne the brunt of the violence in Afghanistan’s long conflict. “Two suicide explosions happened during Friday prayers in the Khwaja Hasan area of Gardez,” said Abdullah Hasrat, spokesman for Paktia province near the Pakistan border. He told this news agency the toll had risen to 39 killed and 81 wounded, with children among the victims. The bombers wore "women’s clothing", he said, and shot first at the mosque’s security guards before opening fire on worshippers then detonating their explosives.

The Provincial police Chief, General Raz Mohammad Mandozai, confirmed the incident, and that the pair was wearing burqas to hide their explosives and weapons. A local resident Sayed Naimatullah said he could hear the blasts from inside his home and rushed to the mosque. “There were body parts, heads, limbs and arms scattered everywhere. The blood of the worshippers had painted the walls of the mosque... There were pieces of glass scattered all over,” the 30-year-old told AFP. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Taliban have denied involvement.

The blasts come as urban areas across Afghanistan have been rocked by an increasing number of attacks in recent months, with both Islamic State and Taliban insurgents targeting security forces and government installations.

The Taliban has not claimed a major attack in a city for weeks as it comes under increased pressure to agree to peace talks with the Afghan government. But IS has carried out multiple attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad and the capital Kabul in recent months, targeting everything from government ministries to a midwife training centre. Last month an IS suicide bomber blew himself up near Kabul international airport, killing 23 people, including AFP driver Mohammad Akhtar.

The uptick in violence comes as US and Afghan forces intensify ground and air offensives against IS, and the Taliban step up their turf war with the group. Earlier this week, more than 150 IS fighters surrendered in northern Afghanistan--in a move that Afghan security forces and the Taliban hailed as the end of the extremist group in the north of the country. The surrender followed the Afghan army’s decision to take over security in Jalalabad in IS’s main stronghold of Nangarhar province after a spate of attacks, mostly claimed by the group.

Afghan civilians have taken the brunt of the gruesome war that began after the 2001 US-led invasion uprooted the Taliban regime. Insurgent attacks and suicide bombs were the leading causes of civilian deaths in the first half of 2018, a recent UN report showed. A total of 1,692 civilians were killed --the highest number for the period since the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began keeping records in 2009. Another 3,430 people were wounded, the report added.</s>A suicide bomber has killed three Czech Nato soldiers in an attack in eastern Afghanistan.

The victims were targeted while on a routine foot patrol alongside Afghan forces, Nato officials said in a statement.

A US soldier and two Afghan soldiers were wounded in the attack in Charikar, the capital of Parwan province, at 6:00 local time (01:30 GMT).

Taliban militants have claimed they carried out the bombing.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis paid tribute in a Twitter post (in Czech) to the three Czech soldiers killed on Sunday, hailing them as "heroes" and sending his condolences to their families.

Earlier US Army General John Nicholson said of the dead and wounded: "Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history and further strengthen our resolve."

Last month, a US soldier was killed and two others wounded in an "apparent insider attack" in southern Afghanistan, Nato officials said.

Afghanistan is going through one of its bloodiest periods since the 2014, and last month's attack was said to be the first such killing of its kind in almost a year.

The US-led Nato force, which comprises of soldiers from 41 countries, pulled out most of its troops after it ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014. However, 16,000 service members remain for training and counter-terrorism operations.</s>KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three Czech soldiers who were on a NATO foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, an attack claimed by the Taliban.

One U.S. and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, the NATO Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis paid tribute to the “heroes who fought against terrorism so far from home and who were killed by a suicide attacker.

“I respect what they did for our country. I am sending my deepest condolences to their families,” he tweeted.

Eastern Afghanistan, where U.S. Special Forces units have regularly been deployed against militants, remains one of the deadliest areas since the U.S. military ended its main combat operation against the Taliban in 2014.

U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, said of the attack vicitims: “Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history and further strengthen our resolve.”

The attack on a routine foot patrol happened in the Khalazai area of Charikar, capital of Parwan province, local officials said.

The Taliban, fighting to restore strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, claimed responsibility and said it had killed eight “U.S. invaders”.

“The invaders had to bring three helicopter ambulances to protect their forces,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in statement.</s>A suicide bombing claimed by the Taliban killed three Czech soldiers on patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the deadliest assault on NATO troops for many months.

"Three Resolute Support service members were killed by a suicide bomber during a combined, dismounted patrol with Afghan forces in eastern Afghanistan," NATO's Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

In Prague, the military said the dead soldiers were Czech.

A US member of the patrol and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, NATO added.

The attack by a lone bomber on foot happened at 6am in the city of Charikar in Parwan province 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Kabul, said provincial governor's spokesman Wahida Shahkar.

The Taliban in a statement claimed responsibility, saying they killed or wounded eight American soldiers in a "tactical explosion".

The Czech army said in a statement that three of its soldiers, a staff sergeant and two corporals, were killed in the explosion.

"The tragic death of our three soldiers has struck me deeply, and I wish to express my deepest condolences to their families," said Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar.

Thirteen Czech soldiers have now been killed in Afghanistan.

The NATO force largely ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014 and pulled out the bulk of its troops. A 16,000-strong residual force remains for training and counter-terrorism operations.

Of these, the US accounts for 13,000 soldiers, about 2,000 of whom are assigned to anti-terror combat missions.

Last month a US soldier was killed and two others wounded in an "apparent insider attack" in southern Afghanistan.

Casualties among the NATO force have fallen dramatically since most were withdrawn from combat. But the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) group have recently stepped up their attacks against government and civilian targets.

On Friday two suicide bombers dressed as women struck a Shiite mosque in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, while it was crowded with worshippers for weekly prayers. Thirty-five were killed and more than 90 wounded.

The burqa-clad attackers shot at the mosque's security guards before opening fire on worshippers and then detonating their explosives.

Last month an IS suicide bomber blew himself up near Kabul international airport, killing 23 people including AFP driver Mohammad Akhtar.

Both attacks were claimed by IS, which is trying to make inroads in Afghanistan.</s>A suicide bomber killed three NATO service members on a foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, and Taliban militants claimed responsibility.

A NATO Resolute Support mission service member, an American, and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, the mission said in a statement.

"Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history and further strengthen our resolve," said U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, in the statement.

Local officials said the blast happened in the Khalazai area of Charikar, capital of Parwan province.

Wahida Shahkar, spokeswoman for the Parwan provincial governor, said the suicide bomber targeted foreign forces who were on a routine foot patrol.

Eastern Afghanistan, where U.S. Special Forces units have regularly been deployed against militants, continues to be one of the deadliest areas for the U.S. military since its main combat operation against the Taliban ended in 2014.

The Taliban, fighting to restore strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, claimed responsibility.

"We have killed eight U.S. invaders in a tactic bombing," Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said in statement.

"The invaders had to bring three helicopter ambulances to protect their forces," he said.</s>KABUL: A suicide bomber killed three Czech soldiers who were on a Nato foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, an attack claimed by the Taliban. One US and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, the Nato Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis paid tribute to the "heroes who fought against terrorism so far from home and who were killed by a suicide attacker. "I respect what they did for our country. I am sending my deepest condolences to their families," he tweeted.

Eastern Afghanistan, where US Special Forces units have regularly been deployed against militants, remains one of the deadliest areas since the US military ended its main combat operation against the Taliban in 2014.

US Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of Resolute Support and US Forces-Afghanistan, said of the attack victims: "Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history and further strengthen our resolve." The attack on a routine foot patrol happened in the Khalazai area of Charikar, capital of Parwan province, local officials said.

The Taliban, fighting to restore strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, claimed responsibility and said it had killed eight "US invaders". "The invaders had to bring three helicopter ambulances to protect their forces," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in statement.

Hundreds of mourners Saturday buried the victims of a twin suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in eastern Afghanistan. Two suicide bombers dressed as women struck a Shiite mosque in Gardez, capital of Paktia province, Friday as it was crowded with worshippers. The burqa-clad attackers shot at the mosque´s security guards before opening fire on worshippers then detonating their explosives.</s>US military says suicide bomber kills 3 NATO soldiers in eastern Afghanistan; US soldier and 2 Afghan troops wounded.</s>US military says suicide bomber kills 3 NATO soldiers in eastern Afghanistan; US soldier and 2 Afghan troops wounded

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — US military says suicide bomber kills 3 NATO soldiers in eastern Afghanistan; US soldier and 2 Afghan troops wounded.</s>KABUL - A suicide bomber killed three NATO service members on patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.

A NATO Resolute Support mission service member, an American, and two Afghan soldiers were wounded, the mission said.

The attack is being investigated.

Officials said the blast happened in the Khalazai area of Charikar, capital of Parwan province.

Wahida Shahkar, spokeswoman for the Parwan provincial governor, said the suicide bomber targeted foreign forces who were on a routine patrol.

The Taliban, fighting to restore strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, claimed responsibility.</s>A Taliban suicide bomber killed three NATO forces on a foot patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday in an attack that also wounded a US soldier and two Afghan troops, NATO said in a statement.

The Czech military confirmed that the three killed were Czech service members.

The Taliban claimed the attack, which took place near Charakar, the provincial capital of the Parwan province.

“My thoughts and prayers, along with those of all of the 41-contributing Resolute Support nations, are with the families and friends of our fallen and wounded service members, and our injured Afghan brothers and their families,” said US Army Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. “Their sacrifice will endure in both our hearts and history, and further strengthen our resolve.”

Czech Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar also offered his condolences. The Czechs had recently approved a plan to deploy 390 soldiers in Afghanistan through 2020, up from the current 230, as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

NATO formally concluded its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, but some 16,000 US and other NATO soldiers are providing support and training to Afghan troops and carrying out counterterrorism missions.

Last month, the Taliban struck a NATO convoy with a suicide car bomb in the eastern Logar province. The attack killed two civilians and damaged a NATO vehicle.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a newly constructed district headquarters in the southern Uruzgan province early Saturday, killing four Afghan soldiers, according to Mohammad Maruf Ahmadzai, the provincial police chief. He said nine Taliban fighters were killed in the ensuing gunbattle.

The Taliban claimed the attack and said they captured soldiers alive.

Both the Taliban and a local Islamic State affiliate regularly target Afghan security forces. The IS affiliate has also carried out several attacks targeting the country’s Shiite minority. On Sunday, IS claimed a suicide attack two days earlier on a mosque in the city of Gardez, south of Kabul. The attack killed at least 29 people and wounded another 81.

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A Taliban suicide bomber kills three Czech soldiers on a routine patrol in Charikar, Afghanistan. A U.S. soldier and two Afghan troops are also injured in the bombing.