A siege in the Afghan city of Jalalabad has ended with the killing by security forces of two militants who had barricaded themselves into a house
A siege in the Afghan city of Jalalabad has ended with the killing by security forces of two militants who had barricaded themselves into a house. The men fled there after a suicide attack on the Pakistani consulate in the city, which ISIL said it carried out.
Witnesses said a man blew himself up after being prevented from entering the building. It is reported he tried to join a queue of people seeking visas for Pakistan.
AFGHANISTAN – A man assists schoolgirls near attack site in Jalalabad. By
afpNoorullah</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFP?src=hash">#AFP</a> <a href="https://t.co/7szipdTeY9">pic.twitter.com/7szipdTeY9</a></p>— Frédérique Geffard (fgeffardAFP) January 13, 2016
At least seven Afghan security force members were killed in the bombing and subsequent siege.
The attack was similar to an assault on the Indian consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif last week.
Victims of war & explosions a man kisses her daughter after today's explosion in Jalalabad thx God she is ok #Afp pic.twitter.com/ghobPj4bjw
— Aleem Agha (@Aghaaleem) January 13, 2016
The Jalalabad region has become the main Afghan stronghold of the so-called Islamic State militant group, which is vying with the Taliban for leadership of the Islamist insurgency in the country.
The consulate attacks come amid efforts to revive peace talks between the Taliban and the Western-backed government.