Gunmen attack education department office in Afghan city: official

JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Gunmen attacked an office of the education department in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday and were battling security forces, officials said.

At least two explosions were heard near the scene and one gatekeeper was killed, said Asif Shinwari, an education department spokesman. Four people were also reported wounded but the final casualty toll could be much higher.

It was the third major attack in less than two weeks in Jalalabad, the main city of Nangarhar province, following a blast that killed a group of Sikhs on July 1 and a second that killed at least 12 people on Tuesday.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Wednesday’s attack but both previous assaults were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

Nangarhar province, on the border with Pakistan, has been the main stronghold for Islamic State militants since the movement first appeared in Afghanistan almost four years ago.

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