Afghanistan : At least 20 people have been killed and many injured in a deadly blast at a Kabul mosque

At least 20 people have been killed and many injured

A large explosion rocked a mosque in Kabul during evening prayers on Wednesday, leaving many feared dead or injured, witnesses and police said.

Police said there were several casualties, but did not say how many. A Taliban intelligence official told Reuters that 35 people may have been wounded or killed, and the number could rise. Al Jazeera quoted an unidentified official as putting the total death toll at 20.

Witnesses told Reuters they heard loud explosions in northern Kabul and shattered windows in neighboring buildings. Ambulances rushed to the spot.

"There was a blast inside the mosque. There have been casualties in the blast, but the number is still unclear," Kabul police spokesman Khalid Sadran told Reuters.

The mosque's imam was among those killed, the source added, adding that the toll could rise. Investigation teams have arrived at the blast site and are investigating.

Other officials in the Taliban government did not respond to multiple requests to confirm the death toll.