Afghanistan: 15 killed after terrorists attack a government building in Jalalabad
Jalalabad, July 31: At least 15 people were killed and over a dozen wounded on Tuesday after gunmen stormed an Afghan government office in Jalalabad and fired indiscriminately.
The attack in Jalalabad targeted the compound of the refugees and repatriations department. It ended after more than five hours of intense fighting between militants and security forces, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province.
As the attack began with multiple explosions, local representatives of foreign donors and agencies were meeting department employees inside the building.
"All the partner agency representatives attending the meeting were Afghans and those who were stuck inside, including the director of the refugees and repatriations department, were rescued," Khogyani said.
Several people had been taken hostage by the attackers, said Zabiullah Zmarary, a provincial council member.
"I saw a black Corolla car drop three armed men at the gate of the refugees and repatriations department," a witness told AFP.
At least one of the men blew himself up at the gate and two others entered the building, the witness said. Khogyani said the two attackers were killed. Security forces swarmed into the area, and a plume of thick black smoke rose into the sky above the compound.
The Taliban denied involvement in the incident in a WhatsApp message sent to journalists. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes three days after militants raided a midwife training centre in Jalalabad.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack, which left at least three people dead and several wounded. Jalalabad has been the scene of multiple attacks in recent months that have killed dozens, as US and Afghan forces continue offensives against militants.
In the western province of Farah today the bomb which hit the bus killed at least 11 people and wounded 31.
"It
was
a
bomb
planted
by
the
Taliban
to
hit
security
forces
but...
it
got
a
passenger
bus,"
Farah
provincial
police
spokesman
Muhibullah
Muhib
told
AFP.
There
was
no
immediate
confirmation
from
the
Taliban
that
they
were
responsible.
In
a
separate
incident,
22
passengers
travelling
on
a
Kabul-bound
bus
in
the
eastern
province
of
Paktia
were
kidnapped
by
gunmen
yesterday
night.
Officials
blamed
the
Taliban
for
both
incidents.
Most
of
the
attacks
in
Jalalabad
have
been
claimed
by
IS,
which
has
a
relatively
small
but
potent
presence
in
Afghanistan,
mainly
in
the
east
and
north.
It is not clear why the militants targeted the refugees and repatriations department, but government buildings are frequently hit.
On July 11 gunmen raided an education department compound in Jalalabad, sparking an hours-long battle with security forces. At least 11 people were killed in that attack. All were employees of the education department branch and included the director. A suicide bombing claimed by IS on a crowd of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in Jalalabad on July 1 killed 19 people and wounded 21. IS emerged in Afghanistan in 2014 and quickly established a stronghold in Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. Intensified aerial and ground operations against the militants have failed to dislodge them.
OneIndia News with PTI inputs