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Deadly Attacks Across Afghanistan After Cease-Fire Announced


Afghan security officers stand guard outside the residence of Faridoon Momand, an Afghan lawmaker, after a suicide bomb attack in Jalalabad on June 8.
Afghan security officers stand guard outside the residence of Faridoon Momand, an Afghan lawmaker, after a suicide bomb attack in Jalalabad on June 8.

Militants have carried out deadly attacks across Afghanistan, a day after the government announced a unilateral cease-fire with the Taliban that will come into effect next week.

In the eastern province of Nangarhar, militants targeted a lawmaker's home, leaving three dead. The lawmaker was not home at the time.

Ataullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attack on June 8 targeted the home of Feridon Momand, a member of parliament, in the provincial capital of Jalalabad.

He said a security guard officer, a woman, and her husband in the building were killed and five others were wounded.

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on June 7 announced a weeklong cease-fire with the Taliban to coincide with the holiday marking the end of Ramadan next week.

The cease-fire included the Taliban and the allied Haqqani network, but excluded the IS group that is active in Nangarhar.

Elsewhere, a remote-control bomb attached to a motorcycle killed a cleric and three others in the eastern province of Laghman, local officials said.

In the western province of Herat, at least two people were killed after gunmen attacked a mosque in Shindand district.

No group claimed responsibility for the Laghman and Herat attacks.

IS militants killed five policemen in attacks on security checkpoints in the northern province of Jowzjan, officials said.

The militants stormed a number of checkpoints and exchanged fire early June 8 in Darzab district, police chief Faqir Mohmmand Jowzani said.

The attacks came as U.S. Army General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, said military operations against IS militants will intensify during the temporary cease-fire.

Nicholson said the cease-fire was "significant" because it was the first of its kind. The Taliban has not yet reacted to the announcement.

"I don't know what the Taliban will do," Nicholson said.

With reporting by AP

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