Kabul, Afghanistan: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Pakistani consulate in Afghanistan on Wednesday that killed seven members of Afghan security forces.
That attack targeted a consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, near the border with Pakistan, officials said. There were no casualties among the people inside the consulate.
"Our security forces say that the target of the attack was the Pakistani consulate," said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, an aide for the governor of Nangarhar province. "The consulate has suffered some damages, but no one has been wounded or killed inside it."
The attack came just three days after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited Jalalabad, the provincial capital, and announced that the Islamic State "has no room in the Afghan society." Ghani urged local residents to continue their fight against the radical Islamist movement, which has grown in strength in the province and recently began broadcasting its own radio station.
The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Janan Mosazai, tweeted, "The terrorists behind Jalalabad attack today are exactly the type of enemies & spoilers we all need [to] identify & oppose [with] all means available."
Wednesday's attack came as Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in diplomatic discussions aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan.
"Whichever group carried out the attack, they want to disrupt the peace talks," said Najib Mahmood, a political science professor at Kabul University. He said he hoped that Afghan and Pakistan officials would be "smart enough" not to let the incident derail their efforts.
Security forces exchanged gunfire with the attackers for nearly three hours before finally overcoming them, officials said. Seven members of Afghan security forces, including two police officers, were killed either in the suicide attack or the subsequent shootout, said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
Until the Islamic State claimed credit on Wednesday afternoon, it was unclear which group had carried out the attack. The Taliban regularly conducts such strikes against facilities belonging to the Afghan government, international aid workers or foreign troops.
But the Taliban's main faction, led by Mullah Akhtar Mansour, said it was not behind Wednesday's strike.
The Taliban has also distanced itself from the attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif earlier this month. On Jan. 4, a group of gunmen tried to lay siege to the consulate but were repelled before engaging in a day-long standoff with Afghan security forces. Three attackers and one police officer died in the attack, which also coincided with an assault on India's Pathankot airbase near the border with Pakistan.
The two attacks against Indian targets came a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Afghanistan, unveiling a parliament building financed by India and promising four attack helicopters.
Similarly, Wednesday's consulate attack in Jalalabad appeared to be an attempt to punish Pakistan for its prominent role in planning peace talks.
"Many terrorist groups might not see peace as being in their best interests," said Mahmood, the political science professor, speaking before the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Two other attacks also roiled the region on Wednesday.
In the Pakistani city of Quetta, an explosion outside an immunization center killed at least 14 people. Officials had gathered at the center to launch an anti-polio campaign when the blast tore through a crowd of security personnel.
"The majority of the victims both killed and injured were policemen," Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, home minister for the province of Balochistan, told media. "It is not clear whether the blast was a suicide one or planted, but an investigation is underway. Apparently it seems to be a suicide one."
The Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.
In southern Afghanistan, another explosion rocked the city of Lashkargah on Wednesday afternoon. A suicide bomber detonated a car laden with explosives, according to local media, but the explosion was premature and only injured one civilian.
That attack targeted a consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, near the border with Pakistan, officials said. There were no casualties among the people inside the consulate.
"Our security forces say that the target of the attack was the Pakistani consulate," said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, an aide for the governor of Nangarhar province. "The consulate has suffered some damages, but no one has been wounded or killed inside it."
The attack came just three days after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited Jalalabad, the provincial capital, and announced that the Islamic State "has no room in the Afghan society." Ghani urged local residents to continue their fight against the radical Islamist movement, which has grown in strength in the province and recently began broadcasting its own radio station.
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The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Janan Mosazai, tweeted, "The terrorists behind Jalalabad attack today are exactly the type of enemies & spoilers we all need [to] identify & oppose [with] all means available."
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Wednesday's attack came as Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in diplomatic discussions aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan.
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"Whichever group carried out the attack, they want to disrupt the peace talks," said Najib Mahmood, a political science professor at Kabul University. He said he hoped that Afghan and Pakistan officials would be "smart enough" not to let the incident derail their efforts.
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Security forces exchanged gunfire with the attackers for nearly three hours before finally overcoming them, officials said. Seven members of Afghan security forces, including two police officers, were killed either in the suicide attack or the subsequent shootout, said interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
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Until the Islamic State claimed credit on Wednesday afternoon, it was unclear which group had carried out the attack. The Taliban regularly conducts such strikes against facilities belonging to the Afghan government, international aid workers or foreign troops.
But the Taliban's main faction, led by Mullah Akhtar Mansour, said it was not behind Wednesday's strike.
The Taliban has also distanced itself from the attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif earlier this month. On Jan. 4, a group of gunmen tried to lay siege to the consulate but were repelled before engaging in a day-long standoff with Afghan security forces. Three attackers and one police officer died in the attack, which also coincided with an assault on India's Pathankot airbase near the border with Pakistan.
The two attacks against Indian targets came a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Afghanistan, unveiling a parliament building financed by India and promising four attack helicopters.
Similarly, Wednesday's consulate attack in Jalalabad appeared to be an attempt to punish Pakistan for its prominent role in planning peace talks.
"Many terrorist groups might not see peace as being in their best interests," said Mahmood, the political science professor, speaking before the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Two other attacks also roiled the region on Wednesday.
In the Pakistani city of Quetta, an explosion outside an immunization center killed at least 14 people. Officials had gathered at the center to launch an anti-polio campaign when the blast tore through a crowd of security personnel.
"The majority of the victims both killed and injured were policemen," Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, home minister for the province of Balochistan, told media. "It is not clear whether the blast was a suicide one or planted, but an investigation is underway. Apparently it seems to be a suicide one."
The Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.
In southern Afghanistan, another explosion rocked the city of Lashkargah on Wednesday afternoon. A suicide bomber detonated a car laden with explosives, according to local media, but the explosion was premature and only injured one civilian.
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