Afghanistan: TV station in Jalalabad attacked May 17

Event

The branch of Afghanistan’s national broadcaster Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) in Jalalabad was attacked on Wednesday, May 17. Several gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed the building carrying military-grade weapons before two of them detonated their explosives. A shootout with security forces ensued. Two assailants are reportedly still at large.

Reports state that 12 journalists were evacuated while others remained trapped inside the building. At least three people have been killed and 14 others injured; the casualty toll is likely to rise in the coming hours.

It remains unclear who the assailants are and what their motive was.

Context

Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province, located in the east of the country on the border with Pakistan, where Islamic State (IS) fighters have established a stronghold. IS claimed responsibility for an attack on a NATO convoy in Kabul on May 3, along with a number of attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan since forming its regional branch, Khorasan Province, in 2015.

There is also a strong Taliban presence in the region. The Taliban announced the official start of their yearly spring offensive in late April, an announcement typically followed by a short surge of attacks countrywide.

Advice

As always, due to major security concerns, individuals throughout Afghanistan are urged to keep a safe distance from large gatherings, military convoys, government buildings, and crowded urban areas. Many Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the country due to the high threat of kidnapping and terrorism, including frequent attacks against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, local civilians and politicians, and individuals working in the humanitarian and reconstruction fields. Travel to the country should only be undertaken with proper security protocols in place.