Four Afghan policemen killed in blast near Indian consulate in Jalalabad

In a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, US monitors of militant groups, the “Khorasan Province of the Islamic State” said three of its “soldiers” attacked the consulate in Jalalabad, capital of the volatile province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan.

The revelation by the Afghan police official would raise a few eyebrows as Rajnath Singh, India’s Home Minister recently commented that there was no reason to distrust the assurance of Pakistan’s “effective action” plan against the attacks in Pathankot.

Although winter has typically seen lower levels of violence during the 14-year conflict in Afghanistan, insurgents, including the Taliban, have mounted several attacks in recent weeks against Afghan security forces, global officials and civilians.

The missile attack by the unmanned aircraft occurred in Achin, a volatile district in a remote part of Nangarhar province, where IS is believed to have set up its headquarters.

Wednesday’s attack is the latest in a spate of violence this month, raising concerns of a tough year ahead for Afghanistan as the Taliban are expected to escalate their attacks, possibly in order to enter into peace negotiations from a position of strength.

In a similar attack in the restive Helmand provincial capital Lashkar Gah, 555 km south of Kabul, on the same day, three lives including the attacker were killed, a local official said on the condition of anonymity.

The attackers also opened fire and launched rocket-propelled grenades on the nearby buildings, including the Pakistani consulate, according to witnesses and unofficial sources.

An official at the Pakistan embassy in Kabul said all consular staff were evacuated.

Last week, a group of attackers barricaded themselves in a house and resisted security forces for about 24 hours after a suicide attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif.

Sharif said that terrorism is a mutual threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Pakistan says many Pakistani Taliban militants, who are separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, and are fighting to bring down the Pakistani state, have sought refuge in Afghanistan from the Pakistani Army offensive.

So far, no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Dozens of apostates were killed in an assault by the soldiers of the Caliphate against Pakistan’s consulate in Jalalabad”, read a message signed by Khorosan Province, the name of IS’s branch in the region.

The Government of Afghanistan has also been requested to ensure safety and security of Pakistan Missions in Afghanistan and the country’s officials working there.