ISIS terrorist group claims responsibility for the terrorist attack on Save the Children office in Jalalabad
Four gunmen have stormed the Save the Children office in Jalalabad, killing at least two people and wounding 14, in an attack claimed by Islamic State.
The latest attack on a foreign charity in Afghanistan began just after 9am when a suicide car bomb was detonated outside the office. The attackers then used rocket-propelled grenades to blast their way inside.
Afghan security forces swarmed the area, said Attaullah Khogyani, a provincial government spokesman.
Khogyani said a police officer and a civilian were killed in the attack. One insurgent carried out the suicide bombing, a second was killed by police and a third was still fighting, he said. Initial information suggested the attackers had been wearing military uniforms, he added.
Television footage and video shot by onlookers showed thick smoke billowing from a burning car outside the complex and fire burning on an least one floor of the building.
A statement from Save the Children 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.
“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.”
The attack was claimed by Islamic State, which is active in eastern Nangarhar province. A Taliban spokesman said his group was not responsible. Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan.
Mohammad Amin, who was in the compound at the time, told AFP 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,” Amin said. “I jumped out of the window.”
Worried relatives gathered at the scene during the gun battle between the militants and security forces. “I am here because my son is stuck inside,” said one onlooker, Khan Jan. “I am worried for him. I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. He switched [off] his phone.”
The attack comes days after Taliban gunmen raided a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing at least 22 people, mostly foreigners.
The UN’s mission in Afghanistan tweeted that it was looking into reports of Wednesday’s violence. “Attacks directed at civilians or aid organisations are clear violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” it said.
The assault on Save the Children, which has operated in Afghanistan since 1976, follows an ambush of International Committee of the Red Cross workers last year; seven employees were killed in that attack, and the charity said in October it would “drastically” reduce its presence in the country.
The decision by the Red Cross, which has been working in Afghanistan for more than 30 years, underlined the growing dangers for aid workers, who have become casualties of an increase in militant violence in recent years.
The UK ambassador to Afghanistan, Nick Kay, said Wednesday’s incident was an outrage. “Any attack on children amd humanitarians is a crime against humanity,” he said on Twitter. “I hope for a quick and safe end to this horrific incident in Jalalabad.”
US and Afghan forces have been carrying out ground and air operations against Isis fighters in Nangarhar. While Afghan security forces are conducting most of the fighting against Isis and Taliban militants, US troops operate alongside them in a training capacity and are frequently on the frontline.
The last major attack in Jalalabad was on 31 December, when an explosion at a funeral killed 18 mourners and wounded 13. There was no claim of responsibility.
Source: The Guardian
