Afghanistan: Bombing kills at least 17 people in Jalalabad December 31

Event

A bomb exploded at a funeral gathering in Jalalabad (Nangarhar province) on Sunday, December 31, killing at least 17 people and wounding at least 13 others. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are expected in the vicinity of the attack in the coming hours.

Context

Though no group has yet claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) is active in Nangarhar province, and has recently carried out deadly attacks in the area. An IS-KP-claimed attack killed at least two members of the Afghan security forces and wounded at least ten others in Jalalabad on December 2.

IS-KP has also perpetrated several attacks elsewhere in Afghanistan in recent weeks, most recently a suicide bombing attack killed at least 41 people and wounded over 80 others at a Shi'a cultural center and adjacent news agency in the Dacht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Kabul on December 28.

Advice

Individuals present in Jalalabad are advised to avoid the area, adhere to all official directives, and monitor the situation.

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 Afghanistan 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.