GARDEZ (Pajhwok Afghan News) — At least 15 people were killed and another 50 injured when a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque on Friday in the capital of south-eastern Paktia province. The attack took place at about 1:30 PM at the mosque in the limits of the second police district of Gardez City, the provincial capital.

An eyewitness, Shahid Haider, said the suicide blast was followed by gunfire and a second blast. He said a number of ambulances had arrived at the scene and the casualty toll might increase.

The governor’s spokesman, Abdullah Hasrat told Pajhwok Afghan News that at least 15 people had been killed and more than 50 others wounded in the suicide attack. He said the dead and wounded were evacuated to the civil hospital, a private hospital and the military hospital in Gardez.

Area police officer Col. Jamil Hotak told Pajhwok news agency that the blast site had been cordoned off by security forces.

Saudi Arabia is waging a struggle with Iran for dominance that has turned much of the Middle East into its battlefield. Rather than fighting directly, Saudis wield and in that way worsen the region’s unrest.