Blast near Indian consulate in Afghanistan, officials safe

Kabul/New Delhi  : A massive explosion took place Saturday near the Indian consulate in Jalalabad, the capital city of eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, police said. All Indian officials are safe.

The blast took place at around 10 a.m.

A security source told Xinhua that “a suicide car bomb went off almost 200 meters away from the consulate, causing casualties”.

No damages were inflicted to the consulate and no Indian staff was hurt in the incident, he said.

Afghan security forces sealed off the scene and several ambulances rushed to the site.

“Explosion in front of India’s Consulate in Jalalabad. MEA in touch with officials. All officials are safe,” tweeted Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesperson, India’s ministry of external affairs in New Delhi.

The blast sent a plume of grey smoke above the scene, and damaged several houses and shops nearby.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.