South Asia

At least 37 killed in Afghanistan twin blasts

At least 37 killed in Afghanistan twin blasts

| | 18 Apr 2015, 06:51 am
Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Apr 18 (IBNS) Twin blasts in Afghanistan's Jalalabad have killed at least 37 people and injured over 100, media reports said.

 A spokesperson for the Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Most  of those injured in the two blasts in Jalalabad are in a critical condition and casualties are expected to increase.

Media reports quoted government officials as saying that  one of the blasts was a suicide attack, and that a man, possibly on a bicycle or motorcycle, detonated explosives near a queue of people outside a private bank, waiting to collect their salaries.

Another blast took place near a shrine and municipality buildings. Bomb disposal experts detonated a third explosive.

A spokesperson of the Islamic State terrorist group, Shahidullah Shahid, has claimed responsibility online, and identified the suicide bomber as Abu Muhammed Khurasani.

The attacks are a significant sign of the expansion of the Islamic State terrorist group into Afghanistan.

 Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the attacks online, and confirmed that his group had nothing to do with the attack.

 
Jalalabad is the capital of the Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan, on the border with Pakistan.