34 dead in bombing

Afghans were waiting in line to collect salaries

KABUL» The Islamic State, or a militant group linked to it, has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday that killed at least 34 people and injured 125, according to a statement that is thought to have been sent on behalf of the Syria and Iraq-based movement.

The attack marks the first time that militants working with or inspired by the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, have claimed such a violent assault in Afghanistan.

The claim could not be independently verified. If true, it would represent the farthest the group has ever targeted civilians from their traditional operational area of the Middle East and North Africa.

The suicide bomber detonated his explosives vest in Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar, outside New Kabul bank, where Afghan government workers waited in line to collect their salaries, said police officials. All the victims were civilians, the police said.

“The suicide bomber was on foot and wanted to get inside the bank when he detonated his explosives,” said Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal, the police spokesman for Nangarhar province.

Two other bombing attacks were reported in the city, but no casualties were reported there. A fourth bombing took place in the Behsood district.

On social media, supporters and fans of the Islamic State appeared confused by the Jalalabad attack, according to terrorism experts who follow militant activity on Twitter and other websites. In previous Islamic State attacks, such as the Libya assault on the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli in January, supporters and fans posted amateur videos, photos and official Islamic State propaganda within a few hours of the violence.

The attack could portend an even more dangerous scenario — rogue Islamic State groups who act independently, inspired by the group, also known by its acronym ISIS.

“ISIS presence is gaining an increased ‘face’ of networks and cell across the globe,” said Veryan Khan, editorial director for the Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. “These networks plan and execute attacks without any direct instruction from the ISIS top leadership.”