2 dead, 12 injured in attack on children’s group in Afghanistan

by Icetruck

6 years ago

2 dead, 12 injured in attack on children's group in Afghanistan

Ghulamullah Habibi/EPA

An Afghan woman flees the area after an attack on the headquarters of the non-governmental organization Save the Children in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2018.

Two people were killed and 12 were injured in an attack on a children's organization in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, authorities said.

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Vehicles burn after a deadly attack in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2018

A vehicle packed with explosives was detonated outside the office of Save the Children in Jalalabad, after which three men stormed the office with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, officials told ABC News.

Afghan security personnel gather near an office near the British charity Save the Children after an attack in Jalalabad, Jan. 24, 2018.

The attack began around 9 a.m. local time, according to Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial government. The situation was ongoing as of 3 p.m. local time.

An Afghan man runs with two children near an office of the British charity Save the Children during an attack in Jalalabad, Jan. 24, 2018.

The Taliban has denied involvement in the attack, which so far has killed one security guard and one civilian.

Smoke rises at the site of a blast near the office of the Save the Children aid agency in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2018.

BREAKING: horrific news of an ongoing attack targeting Save the Children compound in #Jalalabad #Afghanistan, with reports of several injured. pic.twitter.com/7p2iKP7cbT

— SavetheChildren News (@SaveUKNews) January 24, 2018

Afghan women leave the site of a blast in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2018.

"We are devastated at the news," read part of a tweet from Save the Children's media account. "Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our staff." London-based Save the Children has operated in Afghanistan since 1976, aiming to provide better access to education, health care and essential supplies.