• Shooter drove vehicle into church, fired assault-style weapon.
• Suspect died in gunfire exchange with police officers.
• Authorities expect more victims in church ruins.

At least two people were killed and several others injured Sunday after a shooter targeted a Mormon church in Michigan, authorities said, in the latest deadly tragedy that US President Donald Trump called part of a national “epidemic of violence.”

The suspect, a 40-year-old man from a nearby town in the northern US state, was shot dead by law enforcement responding to the attack, in which the church was also set ablaze, police said, without specifying any possible motive.

Trump called the shooting “horrendous” and said on his Truth Social platform, it “appears to be yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.”

Images from the scene showed emergency services escorting people on stretchers and a large plume of dark smoke at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles (97 kilometres) east of the capital Lansing.

Debbie Horkey, who lives near the church, told AFP: “My husband heard people screaming, one lady yelling for help.”

Local police chief William Renye said the suspect drove his vehicle into the church and then began firing at people inside with an assault rifle.

He told reporters the service was active with “hundreds of people within the church.”

Authorities believe the gunman also deliberately set fire to the church before he was killed by responding police officers, Renye said.

Ten gunshot victims were transported to the hospital, the official said, of whom two have died.

He added that the fire had been extinguished but that “we do believe that we will find additional victims once we have that scene secure.”

‘Epidemic of violence’

FBI agents are on the scene to assist the investigation, director Kash Patel said on X.

“Violence in a place of worship is a cowardly and criminal act. Our prayers are with the victims and their families during this tragedy,” he wrote.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also said she had been briefed on the incident.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called Sunday´s attack a “tragic act of violence.”

“Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved,” it wrote on X.

The United States, where firearms are readily available, has a long history of gun violence.

But tensions have soared in recent weeks after a series of high-profile attacks, including the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah and a deadly shooting at a federal immigration facility in Texas.

Sunday’s attack also comes a month after a mass shooting at a Catholic church and school in Minnesota, in which two children were killed while attending Mass, and several others were severely injured.

Political divisions have grown even deeper in the wake of the attacks, with Trump launching a campaign to target left-wing groups he accuses of being “domestic terrorists.”

In his Truth Social post Sunday, Trump wrote: “THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a staunch Republican and Trump ally, said he had ordered the formation of task forces to work with law enforcement to better protect places of worship in his state after the Michigan shooting.

“The fundamental principle that thou shalt not kill must be strongly reaffirmed as a core tenet of our society and must be aggressively enforced by law enforcement,” he wrote on X.

• Amir Amiri handed over to US special envoy Adam Boehler.
• Afghan govt wants to resolve issues through diplomacy: Foreign Ministry.
• Amiri’s release comes after a week of an elderly British couple being freed.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced the release of a detained American citizen on Sunday, a week after an elderly British couple were also released by the authorities.

In a statement, the ministry identified the detainee as Amir Amiri and said he had been handed over to Adam Boehler, Washington’s special envoy on hostages.

Boehler made a rare visit to Kabul earlier this month to discuss the possibility of a prisoner exchange with the Taliban government.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan released an American citizen named Amir Amiri from prison today,” the Afghanistan’s defense ministry said on X.

“The Afghan government does not view the issues of citizens from a political angle and makes it clear that ways can be found to resolve issues through diplomacy.”

Little is known about Amiri’s case, as it has not been widely reported.

Britons Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, were released from a Kabul prison on September 20 after almost eight months in detention.

Qatar helped to mediate both releases, according to the Taliban government.

Afghanistan welcomes regional rejection of foreign military bases The Afghan government has welcomed the joint stance of Pakistan, Russia, China, and Iran in opposing the establishment of any foreign military bases within Afghanistan.

In a statement, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, Hamdullah Fitrat, stated, “We welcome the position of Pakistan, Russia, China, and Iran against the presence of any foreign military bases. Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used against any other country, nor will any armed groups be permitted to operate within the country.”

Fitrat dismissed the notion that Afghanistan posed a threat to other nations as baseless. According to him, the Islamic Emirate is taking serious measures against corruption, narcotics, and all forms of undesirable activities, viewing this as its national responsibility.

He clarified that the Islamic Emirate seeks to establish positive relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect. The deputy spokesperson added that it is a realistic and pragmatic approach to prioritise relations with regional and global nations in the context of Afghanistan’s security, stability, and development.

“The policy of Kabul is based on mutual trust, positive engagement, and the promotion of friendly relations,” he said, firmly rejecting any unfounded concerns or baseless allegations regarding Afghanistan.

Political analysts believe that the support for Afghanistan’s stability by regional countries presents a significant opportunity for the Islamic Emirate to strengthen its political and economic ties. According to experts, a constructive response from Kabul to the concerns of neighbouring countries could help advance the process of confidence-building.

The development comes after China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan recently held a quadrilateral meeting and issued a joint statement on Afghanistan.

The statement highlighted the importance of regional frameworks — particularly the “Moscow Format” and the “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)” — in resolving issues related to Afghanistan.

The joint stance of Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan on Afghanistan may not only serve as diplomatic support for the Islamic Emirate but could also open new avenues for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region.