Explosion Near Indian Consulate In Jalalabad In Afghanistan

Mangalore Today News Network

Jalalabad, Jan 13, 2016:  An explosion and firing has been reported near the Indian mission in Jalalabad in Afghanistan.

Officials have called it a suicide attack in an area where there are many foreign consulates including those of India and Pakistan.

The attack took place 200 meters from the Indian consulate. Firing is still on.

Sources say the Indian consulate is not a clear target. All Indians are reported to be safe.

This is the third attack in 10 days targeting Indian missions in Afghanistan.

A senior Afghan police officer said yesterday that Pakistan army officers were behind the January 3 attack on the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Sayed Kamal Sadat, police chief of Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, said the attackers, "officers from across the border, were well-trained military men who fought Afghan security forces in the 25-hour siege," Tolo News reported.

"We saw with our own eyes and I can say 99 percent that those attackers were from Pakistani military and used special tactics while conducting their operation," Mr Sadat was quoted as saying.

After being kept at bay by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel posted at the consulate, four terrorists were killed by the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces.

One Afghan security personnel lost his life and nine others, including three civilians, were wounded in the attack.

An Indian Air Force base in Pathankot was also attacked on January 2 by six terrorists believed to be of Pakistani origin. Seven security personnel were martyred in the gun-battle that lasted for over 80 hours.