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Afghanistan: car bomb explodes outside Save the Children office in Jalalabad Afghanistan: car bomb explodes outside Save the Children office in Jalalabad
(35 minutes later)
Government spokesman says attackers have entered the aid agency and 11 people have been injuredGovernment spokesman says attackers have entered the aid agency and 11 people have been injured
Michael SafiMichael Safi
Wed 24 Jan 2018 05.20 GMT Wed 24 Jan 2018 07.16 GMT
Last modified on Wed 24 Jan 2018 07.06 GMT First published on Wed 24 Jan 2018 05.20 GMT
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Attackers have entered the Save the Children office in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad after a car bomb exploded outside.Attackers have entered the Save the Children office in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad after a car bomb exploded outside.
Provincial government spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said the blast targeted the aid agency and 11 people had been injured. Provincial government spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said the aid agency was targeted early on Wednesday morning.
“At around 9:10am a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb at the entrance of Save the Children’s compound in police district three of Jalalabad city,” he said. “At around 9:10am a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb at the entrance of Save the Children’s compound in police district three of Jalalabad city,” he said. “A group of armed men then entered the compound.”
“A group of armed men then entered the compound. So far 11 wounded people have been brought to hospitals.” A spokesman for the Ningarhar province health department, Inamullah Miakhel, said hospitals were treating at least 12 people for injuries, none of them life- threatening.
Images from the scene showed children fleeing. Clashes were continuing at the scene on Wednesday morning and television footage showed smoke billowing from a vehicle and sporadic gunfire.
Sohrab Qaderi a provincial council member for Ningarhar, said Afghan special forces were battling two or three attackers armed with hand-grenades, machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
#JalalabadAttack: still sporadic gun-fire is exchanging b/w ANDSF and attackers, pic.twitter.com/fesAUPy4PY#JalalabadAttack: still sporadic gun-fire is exchanging b/w ANDSF and attackers, pic.twitter.com/fesAUPy4PY
Clashes were going on at the scene, he said. Eyewitnesses reported hearing sporadic exchanges of gunfire from the building. He said the militants had taken up positions on the upper floors of the building, which is surrounded by homes, two schools and a government department.
Local news reports said suicide bombers and gunmen had attacked the office in the PD3 neighbourhood of the Afghan city. It was not known if any Save the Children staff remained in the building. A statement from the aid agency said: “We are devastated at the news that our Save the Children office in Jalalabad city, Afghanistan came under attack this morning as armed men entered the building, about 9am today local time.
Tolo News said 11 people had been injured. In video by the news site posted on Twitter, gunshots could be heard. “Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our staff. We are awaiting further information from our team and cannot comment further at this time.”
Mohammad Amin, who was inside the compound when the attackers stormed inside, told AFP from his hospital bed that he heard “a big blast”. Mohammad Amin, who was inside the compound when the attackers stormed inside, told Agence France-Presse from his hospital bed that he heard “a big blast”.
“We ran for cover and I saw a gunman hitting the main gate with an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) to enter the compound. I jumped out of the window,” Amin said.“We ran for cover and I saw a gunman hitting the main gate with an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) to enter the compound. I jumped out of the window,” Amin said.
There were several other aid groups and government offices in the immediate area, raising the possibility that Save the Children was not the target. Worried relatives have gathered at the scene of the attack. “I am here because my son is stuck inside,” said Khan Jan. “I am worried for him. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. He switched [off] his phone.”
Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province, on the porous border with Pakistan. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but eastern Nangarhar province has been a stronghold for Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan.
#Nangarhar – gunshots ring out as clashes continue between insurgents and security forces after militants launched an attack on the #SaveTheChildren organization in #Jalalabad city #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/sqCYDbmHEg Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter the militant group had no involvement in the incident.
#ClarificationThe ongoing attack in #Jalalabad has nothing to do with the Mujahidin of Islamic Emirate.
Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province, on the border with Pakistan.
The attack comes days after Taliban gunmen raided a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, mostly foreigners.The attack comes days after Taliban gunmen raided a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, mostly foreigners.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but both Taliban insurgents as well as the Islamic State fighters are active in eastern Nangarhar province. #Nangarhar – gunshots ring out as clashes continue between insurgents and security forces after militants launched an attack on the #SaveTheChildren organization in #Jalalabad city #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/sqCYDbmHEg
The UK ambassador to Afghanistan, Nick Kay, said the incident was an outrage. “Any attack on children & humanitarians is a crime against humanity,” he said on Twitter. “I hope for a quick and safe end to this horrific incident in Jalalabad.”The UK ambassador to Afghanistan, Nick Kay, said the incident was an outrage. “Any attack on children & humanitarians is a crime against humanity,” he said on Twitter. “I hope for a quick and safe end to this horrific incident in Jalalabad.”
This is a developing story, please check back for updates ... Bilal Sarwary contributed to this report from Kabul
AfghanistanAfghanistan
South and Central AsiaSouth and Central Asia
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