Afghan official: Suicide bomber hits near Pakistan consulate
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An Afghan official says a suicide bomber has detonated explosives near the Pakistani consulate in the capital of a volatile eastern province, killing at least two civilians.
Attaullah Khyogani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar, says the blast happened at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. Two people were wounded, he says.
Reports of casualties are preliminary, he says. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire from the building.
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The Pakistani consulate is near the Indian consulate, a hospital and schools, and is usually busy during morning rush hour as people queue for visas.
Nangarhar is home to a number of insurgent groups and criminal gangs who benefit from the proximity to the Pakistan border.
Insurgent attacks are not uncommon in Jalalabad. The Islamic State group has a presence in province.