Smoke rises from the site of a blast and gunbattle between Afghan security forces and a handful of militants in Jalalabad city, Afghanistan on Sunday. Photo: ReutersJalalabad: Afghan security forces battled a group of attackers who stormed a government building in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Sunday in a coordinated attack that killed at least six people and wounded dozens, local officials said. At least three explosions were heard at the start of the attack, in a building housing the state accounts office, Attahullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial governor said. He said at least four attackers, armed with rocket propelled grenades and machine guns, still appeared to be fighting police. Last year, the United States stepped up its support to struggling Afghan forces, announcing plans for thousands of additional advisers and increasing air strikes in a bid to force the Taliban to enter peace negotiations.

Source: Mint May 13, 2018 09:45 UTC