Afghanistan blast: Taliban officials targeted at mosque prayers

An explosion inside a mosque in north-east Afghanistan has caused multiple casualties.

Reports say several local Taliban officials were among those killed or wounded.

A local official said the blast happened during a prayer service for the deputy governor of Badakhshan province, who was killed by a car bomb earlier this week.

The Islamic State militant group said they carried out the car bomb attack.

Muizuddin Ahmadi, the local Taliban head of information, said it was unclear how many people had been killed in the mosque blast in the provincial capital, Faizabad, but there had been multiple casualties.

Mourners were attending the funeral of Maulvi Ahmadi, the Taliban deputy governor of Badakhshan, who was killed on his way to work on Tuesday. One other person was killed and six wounded in that attack.

Two sources confirmed to the BBC that two local Taliban officials were killed at the mosque. They include the former police commander of northern Baghlan province.

Eyewitnesses said gunfire could be heard after the explosion.

Footage sent to the BBC shows several casualties arriving at the hospital in the capital by ambulance.