Kuwait, June 26: An explosion ripped through a Shia mosque in the Kuwaiti capital during the main weekly prayers on Friday causing numerous casualties, witnesses and a security official told AFP.
"Eight casualties have been taken to the Emiri hospital, two in critical condition," Al Jarida said on its Twitter feed, without giving a source.
The Islamic State group has claimed similar bombings targeting Shia mosques in Saudi Arabia and Yemen in recent weeks.
"It is a suicide bombing," the official said.Witnesses gave a similar account, saying a suicide bomber entered the mosque during the weekly noon prayers.
EXPLOSION AT A SHIITE MOSQUE IN KUWAIT, BY SAUDI FUNDED TERRORISTS http://t.co/SDADv7Xb8U #Kuwait #ImamSadiqMosquepic.twitter.com/uz4hJZZ5iK
- Shia News (@shianews313) June 26, 2015
The attack wounded at least eight people, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida said on social media. The newspaper said the attack targeted Imam Al Sadeq Mosque in the Sawaber district.
Arab television stations Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera earlier reported that an explosion hit the mosque and caused several casualties.
A witness identified only as Ahmed said he was with his family near the al Anoud Mosque when "a quick explosion" happened.
He did not know the cause of the blast. He said acquaintances at the mosque told him a man was killed along with a bomber when the man tried to prevent him from reaching the building. Another witness said a passer-by was also killed in the blast.
Meanwhile, Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attack. A statement by Islamic State posted on Twitter named the suicide bomber who carried out the attack as Abu Jandal al Jizrawi, saying he had managed to reach his target despite heightened security.
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