by Hafizur Talukdar

A suicide bomber has killed at least 50 people at a Shi’ite mosque in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Kunduz, shortly after Friday prayers. It is the deadliest attack in the country since the withdrawal of US-led foreign troops from Afghanistan.

As in previous attacks, the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack. There is no doubt that the American withdrawal from Afghanistan has created a new world situation. Western nations have long been skeptical of the Taliban’s ability to secure Afghanistan.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a mosque in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Friday. A Taliban official said the death toll had risen to 47. In addition, 70 others were injured. (Reuters and Al-Jazeera)

The bomber struck shortly after noontime in front of a mosque in the northern city of Kandahar. The blast shattered the windows of the mosque. At this time many people were seen lying on the floor of the mosque. Many came forward with their help.

Hundreds of people were killed in a bomb blast during Friday prayers at a Shiite Mosque in the country’s Kunduz city and Kandahar during two consecutive Friday prayers. IS later claimed responsibility for the attacks. It was the deadliest attack since US troops withdrew from Afghanistan.

Needless to say, Friday’s bombing of a Shia mosque in Kunduz province will only reinforce that suspicion. Although the Taliban has vowed to continue its campaign against Islamic State jihadists, it remains to be seen how successful they will be and how much protection they will be able to provide to the Afghan people. One thing is clear from the attack on the mosque – the world’s superpowers have been occupying the country for years to improve the living standards of the Afghan people, but the question of life and livelihood of the people remains fragile.

The most vulnerable and neglected among them are women and children. No matter how much the ruling Taliban talk about strengthening security to protect the lives and property of the Afghan people, no one is safe in the country now. The real identities of the attackers need to be revealed.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for bombings around the world in the past. IS claimed responsibility for the September 2014 bombings in and around six separate locations in and around the French capital, Paris.

The bomber struck shortly after noontime in front of a U.S. military base. However, in recent years, the number of IS attacks in the world has decreased a lot. But IS has claimed responsibility for a number of recent attacks in Afghanistan since the uprising. This is a matter of concern. Has the organization become active again, or is there some other force behind these attacks? The real identities of the attackers need to be revealed.

Peace is the essence of every religion. Unrest, anarchy, chaos is abandoned not only from a religious but also from a social and political point of view. The Taliban has signaled a move away from a stable position after returning to power in Afghanistan. But in reality, only time will tell how far they have come from the crisis. Militant attacks have risen again in the country. It remains to be seen how the Taliban government will deal with this situation.

About the writer:

Hafizur Talukdar. Currently, living in Dhaka city in Bangladesh. A school teacher and researcher who has completed honors and Master’s degree in the International Relations department in Dhaka University.