At least 16 people were believed to be killed in an explosion at a mosque in northern Afghanistan during a farewell ceremony for the deputy head of the Badakhshan province, a local source told Sputnik on Thursday.
"As a result of an explosion, at least 16 people were killed ... the numbers may increase," the source said.
Moazuddin Ahmadi, the head of the information and culture department of the province, confirmed the development. However, he couldn't provide details about the casualties and the injured.
Ahmadi was killed on Tuesday when a vehicle laden with explosives rammed his car in the provincial capital Faizabad, killing the acting governor and his driver on the spot.
Daesh Khorasan has taken the responsibility for the Badkhakhshan attack on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, following the high-ranking Taliban** official's death, the chief of the army of the Islamic Emirate, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, vowed to punish the perpetrators behind the car blast.
"People who want to martyr our elders, scholars and people in exchange for American money, with such actions, the will of the Mujahideen will not be weakened and the Khawarij (Daesh) will not achieve their sinister goals," Fitrat said during a ceremony in Kabul.
* Daesh (also known as IS/ISIS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia, India and other states
** under UN sanctions for terrorism