Afghanistan: IOM employee killed in Jalalabad attack

"It is with profound sadness that the United Nations family in Afghanistan confirms that an employee of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was killed in yesterday’s attack on the Department of Refugees and Returnees in Jalalabad," read a statement issued by the UN.

“I condemn this heinous crime which has taken the life of a brave colleague in Jalalabad and left another grievously injured,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing. “My heart goes out to the families of the victims, and all of us in IOM are thinking of our staff working in difficult conditions across the country on behalf of the Afghan people.”

The death toll following a terrorist attack on migrants and refugees’ affairs in Jalalabad area of Afghanistan left 15 people killed on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.

The attack left several others injured.

Security forces rushed to the spot and the operation lasted for nearly six hours.

"Officials said a car bomb was detonated close to the entrance of the compound at about 11.30am and was followed by two gunmen storming the building," reported Tolo News.

Several employees escaped from the building.

However, some of them were trapped in the building.

The carnage came to an end at 5 pm when the last attacker was eliminated, the governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani told Pajhwok Afghan News.

According to reports, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Image: UN website