In Nangarhar province a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle full of explosives at the entrance gate of the prison in PD4 of Jalalabad city at 6:44 pm, local officials said Sunday. A spokesman for the Nangarhar governor, Attaullah Khogyani, said one person was killed and 18 people were injured in a car bomb blast that exploded at the entrance gate of the Jalalabad prison and militants were reportedly on the upper floor.

Since Khogyani's statement, eyewitnesses told TOLOnews there were two deaths.

Emal Neyazi, Nangarhar's police chief, confirmed to a TOLOnews reporter in the area that 2 blasts occurred inside the prison & a heavy clash is ongoing. Sources told TOLOnews that dozens of prisoners escaped from the prison, but Neyazi said those who fled were re-captured.

Eyewitnesses say that the attack began with a car bomb exploding at the prison entrance gate, and by clearing the obstruction and obstacles, the way was opened for the attackers and they clashed with the security forces.

Gun firing has also been reported inside the prison.

So far, two people have been reported killed and nearly 20 others injured in the incident.

According to local officials, gunfire can be heard close to the prison.

The MoI confirmed the blast in Jalalabad, saying "armed attackers blew up a car bomb at the entrance gate to Nangarhar Prison and then clashed with security forces. According to preliminary reports, 3 people have been killed and 5 have been injured," said the ministry.

According to the ministry, police and NDS special forces have been deployed to the area.

Local media report that Daesh has claimed responsibility, but this is unconfirmed.

Earlier, local reporters said that so far 16 people were injured and one was killed in the blast and quoted public health officials saying all casualties were civilians.

The Taliban denies involvement in the attack.

It is the third day of an Eid ceasefire between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

This comes as the government and Taliban are at an impasse over the remaining prisoners to be released, as called for in the US-Taliban agreement.

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/jalalabad-prison-under-attack-2-killed-20-injured