Suicide attack kills 21 in eastern Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - A complex suicide attack followed by gunfight claimed at least 21 lives in eastern Afghanistan, an official confirmed on Wednesday.

The attack occurred near a domestic airport in the Nangarhar province.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, told Anadolu Agency that five attackers stormed the EBE construction company compound early in the morning in the Behsud district on the outskirts of provincial capital, Jalalabad city.

He confirmed 16 company employees and all five attackers were killed in the attack that ended at around noon time.

The domestic airport also serves as a military base on the main Kabul-Jalalabad highway in east of the country.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Located at a distance of some 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) from the Afghan capital Kabul, the Nangarhar province is marred by pro-Daesh militancy for quite some time now with the militants having a number of bastions in areas close to Pakistan’s restive tribal belt.