HERAT, Afghanistan—An explosion tore through a crowded mosque in western Afghanistan, killing at least 18 people. including a prominent cleric close to the Taliban, Taliban representatives and a local medic said. At least 23 people were hurt.
The explosion in the city of Herat on Sept. 2 left the courtyard of the Guzargah Mosque littered with bodies, the ground stained with blood, video from the scene showed.
The bomb went off during Friday noon prayers, when mosques are full of worshipers.
Among the dead was Mujib-ul Rahman Ansari, a prominent cleric who was known across Afghanistan for his criticism of the country’s Western-backed governments over the past two decades. Ansari was seen as close to the Taliban terrorist group, who seized control over Afghanistan a year ago as foreign forces withdrew….