Islamic State attack in Afghanistan targets prison

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for a complex attack by a suicide car bomber and multiple gunmen against a prison in eastern Afghanistan, which Afghan officials said killed at least three people and injured 24 others.

The hourslong gunbattle between Afghan security forces and insurgents in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, was still ongoing Sunday night, and casualties were likely to rise, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Tariq Arian, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said at least three people were killed, while Zahir Adil, the spokesman for the provincial Health Ministry, provided the figure of 24 wounded.

The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan province, claimed responsibility for the attack. The IS affiliate is headquartered in Nangarhar province.

Sunday’s attack comes a day after the Afghan intelligence agency said an IS commander was killed by Afghan special forces near Jalalabad.

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen said, “We have a cease-fire and are not involved in any of these attacks anywhere in the country.”

The Taliban declared a three-day cease-fire starting Friday for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-adha.

The Taliban had denied involvement in a suicide bombing in the eastern Logar province late Thursday, which killed at least nine people and wounded at least 40, authorities said.

Afghanistan has seen a recent spike in violence, with most attacks claimed by the local IS affiliate.

A U.N. report last month estimated there are around 2,200 IS members in Afghanistan, though the group is in “territorial retreat.”