Moscow condemns Shiite mosque attack in Afghanistan

MOSCOW - 2 August 2017: Russia strongly condemned Tuesday’s attack on the Shiite mosque in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of 29 people, Tass news agency cited a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

"We strongly condemn this inhuman terrorist attack and hope that the organizers behind it will be severely punished," the ministry stressed. "We are offering our condolences to relatives and friends of those killed and wish a speedy recovery to those wounded. We hope that the Afghan authorities will do their utmost to preserve interreligious peace in the country."

The ministry recalled that this is not the first terrorist attack against Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan.

"Obviously, the aim of the organizers of such attacks is to incite interreligious strife and further escalate the internal political conflict in Afghanistan," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

According to the 1TV channel, on Tuesday, two terrorists attacked the Herat mosque as hundreds of worshipers gathered in it.

The gunmen first shot security officers, then broke into the building, opened fire on the congregation and threw several grenades, after which they blew themselves up.

The attack has left 29 people dead and 64 wounded. None of the groups active in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for it yet.