Blast Near Consulates In East Afghan City

A huge blast Tuesday rocked area near to a compound owned by Pakistani embassy in Afghan city of Jalalabad, said local media reports.

“I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks on India’s Pathankot military base as well as on the Indian Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan”, Congressman Brad Sherman, 61, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said yesterday.

All the terrorists, who attacked the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif on Sunday night, have been killed after a 25-hour gun-battle with security forces that came to an end late last night.

As the attack in Mazar-i-Sharif began, Indian security forces were mopping up the insurgents in Pathankot. Later, Afghan troops rappelled from helicopters onto the roof of the building to drive out the gunmen. There were three gunmen and all were killed while 10 people were wounded during the clashes, including five civilians who got caught in the crossfire, he said. But Indian agencies suspect role of Pakistan based terror outfits in the attack. “I first talked to them when the attack started Sunday night and I am in constant touch with them”, he said without going into further details about the incident.

While three of the attackers were killed in the gunfight overnight, the remaining were neutralised by the night.

In Kabul, a suicide bomber in a auto blew himself up close to a police checkpoint near the airport on Monday, but caused no other casualties, police said.

The target of the attack was not immediately clear and there were no claims of responsibility for the blast.