An official tells Al Jazeera about the attack on a mosque in Nangarhar that allegedly took place over a land dispute.
Eight family members were killed when unknown assailants opened fire on them at a mosque in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan.
The shooting took place on Saturday evening in the city of Jalalabad. According to the governor of Nangarhar, Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, the killings apparently took place because of a land dispute.
Five brothers and three of their male cousins were killed.
“The shooting took place at the time of the tarawih [extra prayers in the evening during Ramadan]. It was a targeted attack and early information shows that a land dispute was the reason, ”Amarkhil told Al Jazeera.
Clashes over land disputes are common across Afghanistan. So-called blood feuds can last for decades and be passed down from generation to generation in a cycle of violence.
Last April, at least six members of the tribe were killed and nearly 20 others injured in armed clashes on disputed land in the same province. The fighting lasted for several days.
Nangarhar, a stronghold of the Taliban and the ISIL Group (ISIL), is rich in plains and is one of the most important areas for agriculture in Afghanistan.