Suicide Bombing Kills 52 at Shi'ite Shrine in Afghan Capital

Photo: AP

Afghan policemen are seen at the site of an explosion in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, December 6, 2011.

Afghan officials say at least 52 people, including women and children, have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on a Shi'ite shrine in central Kabul.

Officials say at least one attacker detonated explosives near the Abul Fazel shrine as pilgrims gathered Tuesday to mark the Shi'ite festival of Ashura. More than 100 people also were wounded in the blast.

"The ceremony was about to finish," says Kabul police chief General Mohammad Ayoub Salangi. "A new group arrived and the suicide bombers placed themselves among the new group. As a result of the suicide bombing, unfortunately, some of our Muslim mourners have been killed."

Eyewitnesses say that some hospitals in the area are overwhelmed with the number of wounded.

"I took this wounded person to this emergency hospital for treatment, but here, there is not treatment, and no one cares that I have been waiting here for two hours," said Shah Hussein, a Kabul resident. "I need to take this person to another hospital."

Authorities say the number of casualties is expected to rise.

Meanwhile, officials say a second explosion targeted a shrine in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, killing four people. It is not clear whether Shi'ites were also the target of the second attack.

The Taliban released a statement on Tuesday saying it did not plan the attacks, calling them "cruel and indiscriminate" and blaming them on the "invading enemy."

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