Quake damages Blue Mosque in northern Afghanistan

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake before dawn Monday damaged the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif, scattering debris but leaving the main structure standing, officials said. Authorities reported at least 20 dead and over 600 injured, with impacts reaching Badakhshan, where about 800 houses in one village in Shahr-e-Bozorg were partly or fully destroyed; poor internet has slowed casualty reporting. The Taliban Culture Ministry pledged swift assessment and repairs. Save the Children is dispatching a team to Samangan as temperatures fall. The quake comes three months after a deadly August temblor.