At least 33 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a series of explosions in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, according to police and local media. ISIS has claimed responsibility.
A blast took place outside a local bank, police chief Fazel Ahmad
Sherzad told Reuters.
The attacker was riding a motorbike and detonated his explosives
while military personnel and civilians were waiting to receive
their salaries from the bank, Sherzad said.
Brutal images of the injured and the dead at the scene have been
circulating online.
#Jalalabad
residence are waiting to donate blood for the victims of
suicide attack, which left 22 killed,50 injured. pic.twitter.com/QsJxMdY4rZ
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) April
18, 2015
According to some
reports, the first explosion was shortly followed by another
blast. At least one suicide bomber was reportedly
involved. Witnesses
heard a third blast, but according to local media reports it was
a controlled explosion by authorities, who detonated another
suspicious device.
The Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL) extremist
group has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the
Afghan Pajhwok news agency, citing the group’s spokesman.
Shaidullah Shahid a spokesman for #ISIS in the
region in a text message climes responsibility of a blast in
shrine in #Jalalabad
city.
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) April
18, 2015
Earlier, Taliban denied involvement, condemning the attack.
“It was an evil act. We strongly condemn it,” the
Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told Reuters.
Ambulances have reportedly been carrying numerous dead and
wounded from the scene, while people have been rushing to donate
blood to the victims.
Moments a go Pres. Ghani arrived in #Badakhshan
, he condemns this cowardly and heinous terrorist attack on
civilians in #Jalalabad.
— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) April
18, 2015
Local authorities, cited by Pajhwok news agency, say they expect
the number of casualties to grow.