Islamic State claims mosque blast in Kunduz, Afghanistan, that killed nearly 50, injured dozens

KABUL — An Islamic State suicide bomber attacked a crowded mosque during Friday prayers in northern Afghanistan, killing nearly 50 Shiite Muslim worshipers and wounding dozens more, underscoring the growing challenge the extremist group poses to the authority of the Taliban.

It was the latest in a string of attacks on religious facilities and the deadliest since U.S. troops exited the country in August. And it raises questions about the ability of Afghanistan’s new rulers to usher in a stable and secure country after two decades of war.