32 killed, 128 wounded in Nangarhar suicide attack

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): At least 32 people were killed and 128 others wounded on Tuesday when a suicide bomber targeted a protest rally in Momandara district of eastern Nangarhar province, officials said.

The governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, told Pajhwok Afghan News the bombing took place in Daki area of Momandara district on the highway between Jalalabad, the provincial capital, and Torkham border crossing at around 1pm.

He said the wounded were evacuated to Jalalabad Zonal Hospital, Fatima Alzahra Hospital and hospital of Ghanikhel district of the province.

Public Health Director Dr. Najibullah Kamawal confirmed 32 dead bodies and 128 wounded people had been evacuated to Nangarhar hospitals from the incident area.

On the other hand, Nangarhar provincial council’s deputy head, Obaidullah Shinwari, said around 50 people had died and more than 100 others wounded in the incident.

He accused the local administration and the provincial police headquarters of negligence in preventing the attack.

An eyewitness of the attack, Chaqandar Shinwari, told Pajhwok that the protest was ended after the blast. A protest tent had been erected where many people had gathered, he said.

He said a Corolla model vehicle stopped on the road and a suicide bomber got off and then he blew his explosives up among the crowd.

Bakhti Jan, another eyewitness, said around 200 people suffered casualties in the incident but he had no exact figures.

No insurgent group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Taliban Rassoul, criticized the attack in a statement from the group that said such attacks were against Islam.

President Ashraf Ghani denounced the attack in a statement from the Presidential Palace to Pajhwok. The statement quoted Ghani as saying: “The imposed war on our country is totally illegitimate, and targeting civilian facilities, mosques, women, children and ordinary people is a crime against humanity.”

He said the enemies of Afghans were unable to weaken future developments or the will of Afghans by conducting such attacks.

He asked the officials concerned to take immediate steps for treatment of the wounded and assist the families of the victims.

mds/ma

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