Afghan mosque blast kills 18, including pro-Taliban cleric

HERAT, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban officials and a local medic say an explosion tore through a crowded mosque in western Afghanistan, killing 18 people, including a prominent cleric close to the ruling Taliban. They say at least 23 people were hurt. The blast went off in a mosque in the western city of Herat during Friday noon prayers, the highlight of the Muslim religious week when places of worship are particularly crowded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Previous mosque attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, which has carried out a series of attacks against religious and ethnic minorities in Afghanistan, as well as Taliban targets.