Suicide attack on British charity in east Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - A suicide car bomber targeted an office of the British charity, Save the Children, in eastern Nangarhar province’s Jalalabad city on Wednesday, leaving at least 10 people wounded, according to preliminary reports.

The bomb attack was followed by gunfire; clashes between security forces and assailants were continuing.

Initial reports suggest there had been several casualties and many vehicles of the nongovernmental organization were also on fire after the suicide attack.

Nangarhar provincial governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told Anadolu Agency the attack took place at around 9 a.m. (0430 GMT) when a car packed with explosives rammed into the main gate of the charity office in Jalalabad.

“Security forces are on the spot and engaging with the terrorists,” Khogyani said.

He said the number of casualties was still being ascertained but he confirmed that many vehicles belonging to the charity group had caught fire following the suicide attack.

According to the local Shamshaad TV, more than 10 people were confirmed wounded as clashes continue.

International aid and humanitarian organizations, including the UN, condemned the attack on Save the Children.

Similar attacks have already forced the International Committee of Red Cross to limit operations in Afghanistan, leaving thousands of needy Afghans in disarray.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack, which comes days after a deadly assault on a luxury hotel in capital Kabul by five Taliban militants who killed over 20 people including government officials and foreign crew of the local airline Kam Air.