Category: International News

Tags: Blast, Jalalabad, Airport, car, bomb, blasts, airbase, explosion, eastern, Afghanistan, Nangarhar, Provincecasualties, dead, gates, cars, bombing

A Car bomb hits airport in eastern Afghanistan early Monday at the gates of Jalalabad airport. The number of casualties was not immediately known. Nangahar provincial spokesman Ahmadzia Abdulzai said he did not yet know how many were dead or injured, but there were casualties. While the blast came from explosives in a vehicle, Abdulzai also said it was not yet clear if it was a parked car that was detonated remotely or a vehicle driven by a suicide bomber into the entrance of the airport. The blast was "very strong," said provincial police spokesman Hazrad Mohammad. He did not have further details.A photographer saw at least four destroyed cars at the gates of the airport, which serves both civilian and international military aircraft. The explosion comes after nearly a week of deadly protests in Afghanistan in the escalating crisis over the burning of Muslim holy books at an American military base. More than 30 people have been killed in the violence, including four U.S. soldiers. Insurgents regularly target government installations in Afghanistan so it was unclear if the Jalalabad attack was in retaliation for the Quran burning.The blast comes a day after demonstrators hurled grenades at a U.S. base in northern Afghanistan, and a gun battle left two Afghans dead and seven NATO troops injured Sunday in the escalating crisis over the burning of Muslim holy books at an American airfield.

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