A US drone strike has killed at least 21 people in the eastern Nangarhar province, with Afghan sources saying that more than a dozen of them were civilians.

Esmatullah Shinwari, a Nangarhar lawmaker, told the Associated Press that a crowd had gathered at the tribal leader’s house in the Achin district to welcome home his return from the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia when the drone struck.

At least 12 people were wounded in the attack, including the tribal leader, he said.

Unnamed Afghan sources have said at least 13 of the victims were civilians.

The spokesman for the US military in Afghanistan, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, confirmed that a “counter-terrorism airstrike” had been conducted in Achin district early Wednesday.

“US forces did conduct one counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin district, Nangarhar Province, Sept. 28, and for operational security reasons, we do not discuss the details of counter-terror operations,” he said in a statement.

“We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties,” he said, adding that investigations were underway.

Local Afghan sources said the US drone attack left at least 25 civilian casualties.

The people of Afghanistan have been suffering from violence and insecurity since the US and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror in 2001. Many parts of the country still remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops. The military invasion removed Taliban, but militants still push to wrest control over the war-ravaged country. </s> JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan killed at least 21 people on Wednesday, most of them militants but possibly including some civilians, Afghan officials said.

Civilians casualties in U.S. air strikes have long been a source of friction between the Afghan government and Western allies fighting the Taliban-led insurgency since 2001.

The strike in Nangarhar province, on the eastern border with Pakistan, killed 21 people, at least three of them civilians, and wounded another 11, according to Malem Mashooq, the governor of Achin district where the attack occurred.

One of the wounded told Reuters that the attack struck a house where people were sleeping after a gathering to welcome a local elder who had recently returned from the Hajj pilgrimage.

“I saw dead and wounded bodies everywhere,” Raghon Shinwari said, lying on a hospital bed in Jalalabad city.

Mohammed Ali, the Achin district police chief corroborated that account.

“They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage,” he said. “A drone targeted the house and killed most of them.”

Provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Islamic State leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims.

A spokesman for the U.S. military command in Kabul confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a “counter-terrorism” air strike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target.

“U.S. Forces - Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously,” said Brigadier General Charles Cleveland.

“We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations.”

Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

Islamic State has attracted hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join its ranks, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, and Achin was a stronghold for the group.

But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant militant force.

Thousands of U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent air strikes and special operations missions aimed at Islamic State in Nangarhar, but they have also been helping Afghan forces fight Taliban elsewhere in the country.

Between January and August this year, American aircraft released more than 800 weapons and flew more than 3,500 close air support missions in Afghanistan, according to U.S. military reports. </s> A suspected US drone strike against Islamic State in Afghanistan has killed 18 people, Afghan officials have said. 



The strike in Nangarhar province on the eastern border with Pakistan killed 15 militants and three civilians, said Mohammed Ali, the police chief of Achin district, where the attack occurred. 



“They were in a house to visit someone who had just come from the Hajj pilgrimage,” he said. “A drone targeted the house and killed most of them.” 



The provincial police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said several Isis leaders had been killed, but he denied there were any noncombatants among the victims. 



Civilian casualties in US airstrikes against Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan have long been a source of friction between the allies who have been fighting since 2001 to end militant opposition to the government in Kabul.

Isis has enticed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join, and it holds some territory in Nangarhar, with Achin a stronghold. But it has not been able to expand its influence in Afghanistan beyond a few districts and the Taliban remain the dominant Islamist force. 



A spokesman for the US military command in Kabul confirmed that American forces conducted a counter-terrorism airstrike in Achin, but would not discuss the details of the target. 



“US forces Afghanistan takes all allegations of civilian casualties very seriously,” said Brig Gen Charles Cleveland. “We are aware of some claims of Afghan casualties, and are currently reviewing all materials related to this strike. We are continuing to look into these allegations.”

Determining which victims were civilians and which were militants would not be possible until an investigation was complete, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial governor. 



Thousands of US troops remain in Afghanistan, with many recent airstrikes and special operations missions aimed at Isis in Nangarhar, as well as helping Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban in various parts of the country. 



Between January and August, American aircraft released more than 800 weapons and flew more than 3,500 close air support missions in Afghanistan, according to US military reports. </s> KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber struck an election rally in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30, a provincial official said. The attack, the…

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber struck an election rally in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30, a provincial official said.

The attack, the first since campaigning began last week ahead of the elections for the lower house of parliament, underscored the widespread violence gripping the country 17 years after the U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban.

The vote is scheduled for Oct. 20 but it’s unclear if the balloting will go ahead in areas controlled by the Taliban.

Tuesday’s attack took place in Nangarhar’s district of Kama as supporters of Abdul Naser Mohmand gathered in the afternoon to back his campaign as an independent candidate in the elections.

According to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, some of the wounded were in critical condition, which added to concerns the death toll could rise further.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the resurgent Taliban and Afghanistan’s Islamic State affiliate are active in Nangarhar.

“Most of the people killed or wounded are elders who had gathered for the campaign rally,” said Khogyani.

The election campaign kicked off last Friday with 2,565 candidates vying for a seat in the 249-member chamber, including 417 women candidates.

In the run-up to campaigning, five candidates were killed in separate attacks, including two in Kabul and one each in Nangarhar, southern Kandahar and northern Parwan province.

Also, officials from the country’s Independent Election Commission said that two candidates were abducted and their fates remain unknown while three others were wounded in attacks.

Separately, Afghan security forces killed three bodyguards of an independent parliamentary candidate during a raid on a house near his residence in the eastern Kunar province on Sunday.

But the security challenges are not the only worries ahead of the elections. A number of political parties and opposition groups have expressed concerns over the transparency of the vote, leading to demands that a biometrics system be used to register voters — a first in Afghanistan’s history.

In Afghanistan, the parliament includes both a lower and an upper house, but only members of the lower house are directly elected. The upper house consists of a mixture of parliamentarians chosen from local councils and those appointed by the president, as well as members elected in district elections.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> The death toll from a suicide bomb attack at a protest gathering in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Tuesday has risen to 68, with 165 wounded, a government official said.

The provincial governor's spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, issued a statement with a revised casualty total on Wednesday after earlier estimates put the death toll at 32.

Scores of demonstrators had blocked the highway between the provincial capital Jalalabad and a key border crossing with Pakistan when the bomber struck.

The protesters had come from Achin district to demand the removal of a local police commander.

The attack was one of the worst in Afghanistan for months but security officials have warned that similar attacks are likely if crowds gather for campaign rallies ahead of parliamentary elections in October.

"... the explosion happened and I found myself surrounded by blood and flesh," Zar Khan, one of the injured, told AFP news agency.

Bombing schools

The deadly suicide attack came hours after multiple bombings targeted schools in Jalalabad.

One blast went off at the entrance of Malika Omaira girls' school in the morning, killing a 14-year-old boy and wounding four other people. It was followed by two explosions in Behsud district, also near two schools.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the suicide attack, as well as the school bombings in Nangarhar.

In a statement, he said that "attacks on civilian facilities, mosques, women, children, are all crimes against humanity".

The Taliban denied any involvement in the attacks and no other group claimed responsibility for the violence.

Nangarhar has been a main stronghold of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters since early 2015.

Attacks continue

A number of attacks across Afghanistan in recent weeks have killed hundreds of civilians and prominent journalists.

Twin bombings at a sports club in the capital Kabul last Wednesday killed at least 20 people and wounded 70 others. Two journalists - a reporter and cameraman - working for local Tolo News were among the dead.

On Sunday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives close to a procession commemorating the death of a former anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban commander, Ahmed Shah Massoud, killing at least seven people and wounding 24.

A ceasefire in June between the Taliban and the government - as well as talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Qatar in July - raised hopes the 17-year conflict could end with negotiations.

However, the country has since seen a rise in deadly attacks that have targeted civilians. </s> Kabul: A Taliban suicide bomber attacked an army base in southern Helmand province Saturday killing four civilians and two soldiers, officials said.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, said three civilians and two soldiers were wounded in the attack in Nad Ali district. He said the bomber was a Taliban fighter who targeted the base using a mini-van, said Zwak.

Major Abdul Qadeer Bahadorzai, the army corps commander's spokesman in the south, confirmed the attack. He said the death toll could change.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents announced the start of their annual spring offensive on Wednesday even as insurgents are already regularly launching attacks and battling security forces.

In another report, in eastern Nangarhar province five people were killed and 15 others wounded in separate attacks, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Khogyani said among five dead there are three women; militants fired mortar shells striking a home in Goshta district. Three others, including two females and a small child, were wounded in the attack late Friday night.

Meanwhile, 12 people were wounded in an explosion in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar, said Khogyani. He said the victims were two traffic police and 10 civilians.

"Two wounded civilians are in critical condition," he said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nangarhar, but the Taliban and Islamic State group are both active in eastern Afghanistan, particularly Nangarhar province.

The Taliban issued a statement Wednesday saying the "Al-Khandaq" offensive would make use of "new and intricate tactics" aimed at "crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters."

The onset of spring has traditionally brought an increase in violence in Afghanistan, as melting snows allow fighters to more easily traverse the mountainous terrain.

But in recent years the Taliban and an Islamic State group affiliate have carried out near-daily attacks year-round. The Taliban have seized control of districts across the country and regularly target Kabul, the capital.

The U.S. formally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, but thousands of American troops remain in the country in a counterterrorism and support role. The Trump administration has sent thousands of additional troops to try to change the course of America's longest war. </s> A suicide bomber on foot targeted a wedding party in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar on Friday, killing at least five people and injuring 40, local officials said.

Atahullah Khogyani, a spokesman for Nangarhar province’s governor, said a boy set off his explosives inside the house of a pro-government militia commander in Pacheragam District.

Khogyani said 40 injured victims were rushed to hospital, but local residents put the figure of those that died at 10.

Pro-government militias often work with overstretched Afghan security forces to prevent territories falling into the hands of the Taliban and Islamic State fighters.

In June, Taliban militants killed at least 26 members of a pro-government militia in northern Afghanistan.

No group has however, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Islamic State militants have carried a string of suicide bombings and attacks on government offices, schools, and aid groups in recent years in Jalalabad, Nangarhar’s main city. </s> A 13-year-old suicide bomber killed at least five people and wounded 40 today in an attack on a wedding ceremony in eastern Afghanistan.

Neither the Taliban nor Islamic State claimed responsibility for this morning's attack in Nangarhar, a volatile province on the border with Pakistan.

Among those killed was Malik Toor, a commander of a pro-government militia who had organised the wedding, police official Fayz Mohammad Babarkhil said. It is understood Toor was likely the target.

'This morning at 8am, a suicide bomber detonated himself at a wedding ceremony...in Pachiragam district', Attaullah Khogyani, the Nangarhar governor's spokesman, told AFP. 'As a result, five killed, more than 40 wounded.'

Hazrat Khan Khaksar, the Pachiragam district governor, put the toll at 14 killed and 14 wounded but he cautioned the figures might change.

Zahir Adil, the Nangarhar regional hospital spokesman, told AFP that two bodies and 11 wounded victims had been taken to the hospital in central Nangarhar city.

The explosion comes just days after historic talks between Afghan representatives and the Taliban wrapped up as part of a US-led effort to end the war.

At the conclusion of the two-day summit in Doha, parties unveiled a joint resolution pledging a 'roadmap for peace' in which they sought to reduce civilian casualties to 'zero'.

Direct talks between US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban also took place last week. </s> The toll in the suicide bomb attack in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province increased to 68 on Wednesday, reported Tolo News. At least 128 people were wounded, said the public health directorate. However, some other reports claimed 165 people were injured.

The number of casualties increased from 19 on Tuesday as many critically injured patients died overnight.

The attacker targeted a protest gathering in Mohmand Dara district. Hundreds of people had gathered to block a highway in protest against the appointment of a local police chief, provincial governor spokesperson Ataullah Khogyani said. No terrorist organisation has so far claimed responsibility.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack, describing the ongoing “imposed war” as illegitimate. He added that attacks on civilians, their facilities, and members of public is a crime against humanity.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in a statement voiced its concern at the “pattern of attacks targeting civilians and schools”.

“I feel profound indignation at this latest wave of attacks deliberately targeting civilians,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. “The bombings of schools and the killing of children are among the most egregious and repulsive acts of terrorism which violate international humanitarian law.”

This was the deadliest attack in the country since a bomb planted in an ambulance in Kabul killed 103 people in January. The Taliban had claimed responsibility.

Nangarhar province, which is on Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, has been among the country’s most volatile regions this year. Its provincial capital Jalalabad has faced several suicide bombings and attacks.
A U.S. drone strike in Nangarhar Province kills at least 21 people.