Suicide attack on Afghan MP’s residence kills 2

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - At least two security guards were killed in a suicide attack targeting the residence of Afghan Wolesi Jirga (lower house) member Zahir Qadeer in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, told Anadolu Agency one of the attackers was shot by the guards while the other managed to blow himself up killing the two guards on the spot.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Located less than 200 miles from the capital Kabul, Jalalabad is the provincial capital of Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan. Its southern mountainous districts are known to be marred by pro-Daesh militancy.

The apparent target of the attack, Zahir Qadeer, led a operation against Daesh in one of the restive districts, Achin, last year with his armed militia. He gained a certain amount of notoriety last year, when local media reported his fighters had beheaded five pro-Daesh fighters in Nangarhar, a claim not verified by officials and rejected by Qadeer.