Militants of the terrorist organization Islamic State* have attacked a prison in eastern Afghanistan.
This is reported by the agency “Associated Press”, citing a local official.
According to media reports, the incident took place last night in Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar Province. The storming of the prison began with a suicide attack by a bomber who crashed a booby-trapped car into the prison gates. The main jihadi forces then came inside and opened fire on the guards.
The provincial governor’s office said that three of the attackers had been eliminated by Monday morning, but the fighting is still ongoing. Moreover, some militants have taken refuge in a nearby residential area from where shots are also being fired. Civilians are now being evacuated from here. The prison itself is surrounded by security forces. Armored vehicles have been involved in the operation.
At least 21 people, including civilians, have been killed so far. Another 43 people have been injured in the storming. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Although the motives for the attack are unclear, AP sources said that some of the prisoners escaped after taking advantage of the incident. It is worth noting that of the 1,500 prisoners, several hundred were considered members of the IG.