The United Nations condemned the bomb attacks on a stadium in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan, on Saturday, May 18. Reports indicate that at least eight civilians were killed and 55 others injured due to four explosions at the stadium. The blasts occurred as people gathered to watch a cricket match between two local teams after the Maghrib prayer at the beginning of Ramadan. The first two explosions happened inside the stadium, while the other two occurred outside, seemingly intended to target those fleeing through the main exit. Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for the Nangarhar governor, told the Afghan service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the explosions were caused by planted explosives, with most victims being organizers of the Ramadan Cup and spectators. Reuters reports that many of the injured are in critical condition in hospitals. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, expressed anger in a statement on Saturday, saying, 'I am outraged by this attack, which used four carefully calculated explosions to kill citizens who came to watch a cricket match.' No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, although both the Taliban and ISIS are active in the area. In September 2017, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a cricket match in Kabul, which resulted in three deaths and five injuries. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack on the stadium in Jalalabad in a statement on Saturday, stating that 'terrorists have not even refrained from killing people during the holy month of Ramadan and have once again shown that they have no belief in any religion and are enemies of humanity.' Nangarhar province, bordering Pakistan, has faced increasing violence this year, the latest being a coordinated attack last week on the provincial finance office that killed at least 15 people. Last week, the governor of the province was dismissed due to the worsening security situation in the area.
United Nations Condemns Deadly Attack on Jalalabad Stadium in Afghanistan
The UN condemned a deadly bombing at a stadium in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, during a cricket match, resulting in at least eight deaths and 55 injuries. The attack highlights ongoing violence in Nangarhar province, where both the Taliban and ISIS are active. This incident underscores the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, particularly during Ramadan.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A series of bomb explosions during a cricket match in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, resulted in at least eight deaths and over 55 injuries. The attack occurred during Ramadan, targeting civilians and raising concerns about security in the region.
- Four explosions were reported, with two inside and two outside the stadium.
- No group has claimed responsibility yet, but both the Taliban and ISIS are active in the area.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Afghanistan has faced decades of conflict, with various militant groups vying for power and control, leading to significant civilian casualties and humanitarian crises.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%