IS affiliate claims Bangladesh Shiite mosque attack
Prayer leader killed in terror attack that follows a wave of assaults on foreigners, secularists and Shiites
NEW DELHI, India — An Islamic State affiliate in Bangladesh says it was behind an attack on a Shiite mosque that killed one man and wounded three others.
A statement posted on IS-affiliated Twitter accounts Friday from Islamic State – Bangladesh says that the mosque was hit by a barrage of shots fired form machine guns.
At least five assailants fired on worshipers during evening prayers Thursday at the mosque in northern Bangladesh. A mosque official in his 70s who had been leading the prayers was killed.
The statement from the extremist Sunni group says the attack had “targeted a place of worship for the apostates” and vowed more such attacks.
It follows a wave of deadly assaults this year on foreigners, secular writers and the Shiite community in the Sunni-majority nation of 160 million.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.