Latest suicide bombing in Afghanistan kills 14


FE Team | Published: June 17, 2018 19:10:16 | Updated: June 18, 2018 12:06:52


Latest suicide bombing in Afghanistan kills 14

A suicide bombing near the governor's office in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar has killed at least 14 people, officials say -- the second such bombing in the province in as many days, report agencies.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesperson for the provincial governor, told RFE/RL that the June 17 attack took place in the province’s capital, Jalalabad. 

A security official was quoted as saying 30 people were also wounded. 

36 people were killed and 65 others were wounded in a suicide bombing at a gathering of Taliban and government armed forces in Nangarhar on June 16.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, which reportedly targeted a gathering of Taliban militants, Afghan officials, security forces, and civilians during a cease-fire coinciding with Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that caps off the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. 

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed a similar attack in Nangarhar on June 16 that killed dozens of people.

Separately, the Afghan Taliban ruled out an extension to its cease-fire with Afghan security forces. 

The three-day holiday and the truce end on June 17. 

Amaq, the news agency affiliated with the IS group, said the extremist group claimed responsibility for that attack. 

Nangarhar Province is the main base of IS militants in Afghanistan. The group has clashed with the Taliban in the past. 

The suicide bomber blew himself up at around the time President Ashraf Ghani was announcing an extension of the cease-fire with the Taliban and urged the militant group to extend its truce as well.

But a spokesman for the militant group said on June 17 it has “no intention to extend” its truce. 

"The cease-fire ends tonight and our operations will begin," Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Mujahid also said the group banned its fighters from attending public gatherings, going into cities, and meeting with the Afghan public, as well as officials and security forces, during the cease-fire.

He said that the move was aimed at avoiding harm to civilians.

In a televised address announcing an extension of the government's cease-fire, Ghani said he was prepared to discuss Taliban demands, including the status of foreign forces in Afghanistan in the future.

"I order the security forces to remain on their defensive positions," Ghani said, adding that details of the extension would be released later.

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