A group of insurgents launched an attack on a mosque in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Wednesday, leaving at least six people dead or wounded.
The 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces said the incident took place in the vicinity of Chaparhar district.
A statement by the 201st Silab Corps said several militants attacked a mosque in Haji Abad village, leaving three people dead and three more wounded.
The statement further added that the militants also took three people as hostages and has taken them to an unknown location.
In the meantime, the 201st Silab Corps said at least two civilians were shifted to the hospital by the personnel of the Silab corps after they sustained injuries in a roadside mine explosion in Achin district.
The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the report so far.
The Taliban insurgents frequently use IEDs as the weapon of their choice to target the security forces and government officials but in majority of such incidents the ordinary civilians are targeted.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UANAMA) released its latest civilian casualties report late in April, covering a period of three months since the start of 2017.
According to the report, the Anti-Government Elements caused 62 per cent of civilian casualties – 1,353 civilian casualties (447 dead and 906 injured), reflecting a five per cent increase compared to the same period in 2016.
The UN mission also added it recorded a 12 per cent increase in civilian casualties caused by pressure-plate improvised explosive devices – 218 civilian casualties (86 dead and 132 injured).
