Afghanistan: Explosion and gunfire target foreign consulates in Jalalabad

A suicide bombing followed by gunfire rocked an area near the Pakistani consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday (13 January), killing at least two police officers, officials said.

Cordoning off the area, local Afghan officials at the scene said they were investigating the ongoing attack outside the consulate, which is also near the Indian diplomatic mission.

This is the latest in a series of attacks against foreign targets and Kabul government as authorities are boosting their diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with the Afghan Taliban.

"Two policemen were killed after the suicide attack, which was followed by gunfire," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

"The incident occurred near the Pakistani consulate, but we are not sure if it was the intended target."

"The bomber came on foot and grabbed a gun from a policeman before detonating his suicide vest," Fazli Ilahi, a witness, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

No group has claimed responsibility as yet. Jalalabad is the provincial capital of Nangarhar and is located about 130km from the Afghan capital Kabul.