KABUL, Afghanistan, March 21: A suicide bomber struck on the road to a Shiite shrine in Afghanistan’s capital on Wednesday, killing at least 26 people as Afghans celebrated the Persian new year, an official said.

Nasrat Rahimi, the deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said another 18 people were wounded in the attack. He said the attacker was on foot.

The Persian new year, known in Afghanistan as Nauruz, is a national holiday. The country’s minority Shiites typically celebrate by visiting shrines.

No one immediately claimed the attack. Afghanistan is home to a powerful Islamic State affiliate that has repeatedly targeted Shiites, who the Sunni extremists view as apostates deserving of death.

 
• suicide bomber
 
• 26 killed
 
• afghans