May 19, 2018 0:32 AM
Zia Urahman Hasrat
NANGARHAR, AFGHANISTAN — A series of explosions killed at least eight civilians and wounded more than 40 others in eastern Afghanistan, provincial authorities told VOA.
Attaullah Khogyanai, provincial spokesperson for eastern Nangarhar province, told VOA the explosions occurred in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, at night at a cricket stadium during a cricket match.
Khogyanai said all three explosions took place inside the stadium around 11:30 p.m. local time.
Among those killed is Hedayatullah Zahir Kamawal, the chief coordinator of the Ramadan Cup, a new series of cricket matches planned to be held during the month of Ramadan.
Najibullah Kamawal, the provincial director of Nangarhar’s health department, told VOA that some of the injured are in critical condition.
Authorities have yet to identify the type of explosion and told media that police are at the scene and an investigation is underway.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, but authorities are suspicious that the Islamic State group might be behind the attack.
The terror group has carried out similar attacks before in the province.