Islamic State claims attack on state TV station in Afghanistan

Record ID: 876310

  • Title: Islamic State claims attack on state TV station in Afghanistan
  • Date: 17th May 2017
  • Summary: JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN (MAY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES FIRING TOWARDS RTA AFGHAN STATE TELEVISION BUILDING AMBULANCE DRIVING IN FOREGROUND / FIGHTING CONTINUING IN BACKGROUND (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) AFGHAN FORCES LIFTING UP WOUNDED MAN OUTSIDE BUILDING SMOKE RISING FROM TV STATION BUILDING (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) AFGHAN FORCES FIRING TOWARDS TV STATION BUILDING / SMOKE RISING FROM BUILDING VARIOUS OF DEBRIS ON STREET DAMAGED SHOPS NEAR TV STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) TECHNICAL ENGINEER AT AFGHAN STATE TELEVISION, MOHAMMAD SHAFIQ, SAYING: "I went on an assignment moments before the attack happened. All of my colleagues were inside the building. I tried to call them but they did not respond. Their phones are not working although they were inside the building." BROKEN SHUTTER OF NEARBY BUILDING BROKEN GLASS ON FLOOR / SECURITY FORCES AFGHAN OFFICIALS ARRIVING AT SCENE OF ATTACK (SOUNDBITE) (Pashto) PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR, GULAB MANGAL, SAYING: "Four attackers were involved in the attack and they were all killed by Afghan security forces. Unfortunately we have lost six people in today's attack, including two civilians, two employees of the TV state television and two policemen." SMOKE RISING FROM THE STATE TV STATION VARIOUS OF AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES GATHERING NEAR THE TV STATION BUILDING FOLLOWING THE ATTACK TV STATION BUILDING DAMAGED DAMAGED VEHICLES INSIDE THE COMPOUND OF TV STATION BUILDING VARIOUS OF BULLET HOLES AT THE TV STATION AFGHAN FORCES IN ARMED VEHICLES OUTSIDE TV STATION / SMOKE RISING FROM BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 31st May 2017 16:20
  • Keywords: Islamic State aftermath gun battle TV station Jalalabad attack Afghanistan
  • Location: JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN
  • City: JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Insurgencies
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016H87OLJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on an Afghan state television station on Wednesday (May 17) that killed at least six people, as well as the attackers, and wounded 24.
    The attack, in the eastern city of Jalalabad, was the latest in a series on Afghan journalists and media in recent years. It came just over a week after it was confirmed that the leader of Islamic State in Afghanistan had been killed in a U.S. drone strike.
    Islamic State, or Daesh as it is generally known in Afghanistan, has established a stronghold in Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan, of which Jalalabad is capital, where it fights both the Taliban and Afghan government forces.
    The raid on the RTA state broadcaster was carried out by four attackers, one of whom had detonated a suicide bomb at the entrance to the compound, said provincial governor Gulab Manga whose office was close to RTA.
    Among the dead were four RTA employees, including a driver, a guard, and two technical personnel, as well as two policemen, according to Mangal.
    Seventeen civilians and seven members of the security forces were wounded, he added.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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