The Taliban officials, however, claimed that only seven people were dead in the blast.
The attack occurred around 1.30pm when people had gathered in hundreds to offer prayer.
“A blast has taken place at a Shi’ite mosque. The authorities are taking the injured and dead to hospital,” Mawlawi Hashimi told Reuters in Baghlan province where the incident took place.
Preliminary reports suggest that a suicide bomber may have detonated an explosive vest during the Friday prayers at the Imam Zaman mosque in Pule Khomri, the capital of Baghlan province in northern Afghanistan.
Images and videos of the mosque surfaced on social media showing the aftermath of the attack with bloodstains all over the walls and floor.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-run administration has faced an insurgency by Islamic State militants, who have claimed a series of deadly attacks on civilians, foreigners and Taliban security forces in recent months.
(With inputs from agencies)
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