Suicide bomb attack kills 2 in eastern Afghanistan

JALALABAD, Afghanistan – A suicide bomb blast killed at least two people on Saturday, August 25, outside an election commission office in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, officials said.

The latest attack in the war-torn country targeted a protest camp outside the building in Nangarhar province, where a group of people were rallying in support of a candidate disqualified from parliamentary elections due in October.

“It killed two people, and 4 others were wounded,” provincial governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told Agence France-Presse, adding that a suicide attacker was responsible for the explosion.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the two deaths.

An eyewitness said the blast was caused by a suicide bomber who detonated explosives near a tent full of protesters outside the election commission’s office in Jalalabad, sending people fleeing as security forces cordoned off the area.

“It was very big blast and it shook our home,” said witness Mirza Amin, who added she lived 50 meters (160 feet) from the site of the explosion.

The blast comes nearly a week after President Ashraf Ghani offered a conditional 3-month ceasefire to the Taliban, a move welcomed by the United States and NATO after nearly 17 years of war.

The Taliban have yet to provide an official response to the offer. – Rappler.com