This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
On October 18, 2019, a devastating blast rocked a mosque in eastern Afghanistan, claiming the lives of at least 62 men who had gathered for worship.
According to local officials, the blast occurred in the Jawdara area of Haska Mena district in Nangarhar province, where multiple explosions were triggered by explosives placed inside the mosque.
The roof of the mosque collapsed, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos.
As the news of the blast spread, Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council in Nangarhar, expressed concerns that the number of casualties could rise, with over 100 others wounded.
Malik Mohammadi Gul Shinwari, a tribal elder from the area, described the scene as 'heartbreaking', with 32 bodies and scores of injured transported from the blast site.
Tezab Khan, a local police officer, witnessed the aftermath of the blast, recalling the moment when the Mullah's voice was silenced by a loud boom.
Despite the presence of Afghan security forces in the Jawdara area, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.
The Taliban and Islamic State fighters are known to be actively operating in parts of Nangarhar, which shares a border with Pakistan in the east.
A recent United Nations report on civilian casualties recorded 4,313 civilians killed and wounded in the past three months.
