Two dead in militant attack on Afghanistan govt office
JALALABAD, Afghanistan: Gunmen stormed an education department compound in Afghanistan’s restive east yesterday and were battling security forces in an ongoing attack that has left at least two people dead, officials said.
Nine others have been wounded in the second attack in Jalalabad city in as many days, and a number of employees were trapped inside the building, Nangarhar provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.
Security forces were trying to clear the militants from the compound and rescue the workers. It was not clear how many gunmen or employees were inside.
The sound of gunfire followed by a ‘big explosion’ that shattered windows alerted Qari Samiullah that an attack was under way near his shop.
“I left my shop and ran when I heard a second explosion,” Samiullah told AFP.
“Smoke came out of the building and all the people started to run away.”
A security guard employed by the education department branch was among the dead, Khogyani said.
Jalalabad health director Najibullah Kamawal confirmed five wounded people had been brought to hospital so far.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the raid.
Local teachers had been delivering exam results from their schools to the office when the gunmen attacked, provincial education department spokesman Asif Shinwari told AFP.
“Quite a few teachers are inside the building,” Shinwari added.
Jalalabad’s education department was also attacked by
I left my shop and ran when I heard a second explosion.
gunmen exactly a month ago. At least 10 people were wounded.
Nangarhar’s provincial capital has seen an uptick in violence in recent weeks, with the Islamic State group claiming most of the attacks.
On Tuesday, a suicide attack in the city killed at least 12 people and ignited a nearby petrol station, with witnesses describing screaming victims ‘swallowed’ by flames.
The bomber was targeting Afghan security forces when he blew himself up. Ten civilians were among the dead.
IS claimed that attack via its Amaq propaganda agency.
The series of high- casualty suicide bomb attacks in the province come as US and Afghan forces continue offensive operations against the group.
One of the deadliest was on July 1 when a suicide bomber blew himself up among a group of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus in Jalalabad, killing at least 19 people.
While the Taliban is Afghanistan’s largest militant group, IS has a relatively small but potent presence, mainly in the north and east of the country.
Yesterday’s attack comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani flew to Brussels to attend a Nato summit where he will be hoping to get a greater commitment from members to the nearly 17-year conflict.
Currently, there are about 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan, providing the main component of the Nato mission there to support and train local forces. — AFP
Qari Samiullah, shop owner