Suicide bomber attacks meeting of tribal elders in Afghanistan

At least six civilians were killed and several others injured when a suicide bomber targeted a meeting of tribal elders in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, officials said on Monday.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack in the capital of Nangarhar province, where Daesh presence is widespread.

The blast occurred while tribal elders gathered at the residence of the former district governor to seek aid for war-displaced families, as Afghan forces step up anti-Daesh operations in the province.

"Six civilians were killed and six others were wounded in the suicide attack on a gathering of elders in Jalalabad," provincial spokesman Ataullah Khogyani told AFP.

A police spokesman confirmed the toll, adding the wounded had been taken to hospital.

Taliban insurgents are active in Nangarhar, but the province also faces an emerging threat from loyalists of the Syria-headquartered Daesh, which is making gradual inroads in Afghanistan — challenging the Taliban on their own turf.

Last week, militants linked to Daesh abducted and killed around 30 civilians, including children, in the central province of Ghor, raising concerns about the group's expanding presence beyond its eastern stronghold.