Afghan terrorists attack Int’l Red Cross office, one guard killed

Afghan security guards run towards the blast site of a provincial office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Jalalabad City, east Afghanistan, on May 29, 2013. A group of terrorists attacked the ICRC office Wednesday afternoon in Jalalabad, marking the first ever attack on the humanitarian organization in this war-hit nation. <Xinhua/Safi>

A group of terrorists attacked a provincial office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Wednesday afternoon in Jalalabad city, east Afghanistan, marking the first ever attack on the humanitarian organization in this war-hit nation.

Provincial Deputy Police Chief Massom Hashimi confirmed to Xinhua that a car bomb exploded at around 5:30 p.m. local time in front of the ICRC office in Jalalabad, and one Afghan security guard was killed.

Then the terrorists fired gunshots against the police who arrived later, he added.

The International Red Cross building burns, after a gun battle between security forces and an insurgent, in Jalalabad east of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 29, 2013. A senior Afghan official said security forces rescued seven foreigners working for the International Red Cross on Wednesday after a two-hour-long gun battle with an insurgent at a guest house in the eastern city of Jalalabad. <AP Photo/Rahmat Gul>

ICRC Communication Coordinator Robin Waudo also confirmed this attack in the country’s capital, but declined to offer any further information.

According to Hashimi, three ICRC international employees had been successfully rescued by the local police.

The gunfire is still on-going and no group or individual has claimed responsibility so far.

This is the third attack in a single day in Afghanistan after one happened in the early morning against the provincial office building in eastern Panjsher province and another in western Heart province. <Xinhua/NEWSis>