ISIS claims responsibility for attack on a Kuwait City mosque that has left 8 dead
An attack on a Shiite mosque in Kuwait City has reportedly killed eight, with the number of casualties expected to rise as many others remain in critical condition. The blast occurred during Friday's midday prayers, which are typically the most crowded. Attendance is expected to have been especially high, due to it also being the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Kuwait's former Information Minister Saad al-Ajmi told Al Jazeera that Kuwait has traditionally had "a good record" between Sunni and Shiite groups. However, ISIS is claiming responsibility for the bombing, Reuters reports. Sunni extremists regard Shiite Muslims as heretics; several bombings have occurred at Shiite mosques in nearby Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.