Ten killed by suicide bomber in Jalalabad
Attacker blew himself up near a petrol station – two security officers among dead
July 10, 2018
A suicide bomber has killed 10 people and wounded four in the Afghan city of Jalalabad, a day after Taliban insurgents attacked police checkpoints in the west of the country.
Inamullah Miakhel, spokesman for the provincial health department in the eastern Afghanistan city, confirmed the death of 10 people and said the injured were taken to hospital.
Eight civilians, mainly children, and two intelligence officers were killed in the blast. More are feared dead.
The attacker was on foot and targeted security forces when he blew himself up near a petrol station, causing a huge fire.
"I saw a big ball of fire that threw people away. The people were burning," Esmatullah, who witnessed the incident, told AFP.
Most of the victims were children working in a car wash near to the site, Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council, told Reuters. Victims suffered severe burns.
Meanwhile, in the western province of Farah, Taliban fighters attacked police checkpoints, killing three officers and wounding four.
The attack took place late on Monday in the Bala Buluk district, Mohammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor said.
At least five Taliban insurgents were killed, and seven injured in the gun battle, the spokesman said.
Earlier in July, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bomber who killed 19 mostly Sikhs and Hindus in the city.
More to follow
Read more: Afghanistan: ISIS claims suicide bomb attack on Sikhs and Hindus
Updated: July 10, 2018 05:42 PM
