(VOVworld) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Saturday that the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.
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| Security personnel attend the scene of the attack. (Photo: rte.ie) |
Speaking during his visit to Badakhshan, President Ghani criticized the terrorist attacks in cities and public places saying they are the most cowardly acts. A person purporting to be an IS spokesman said in a call to AFP that the group was behind the bombing. Earlier, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied responsibility.
The same day, Iraqi security forces retook control of its largest oil refinery in Salahudin province after heavy clashes with the IS.
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A view is seen of Baiji oil refinery, north of Baghdad, December 8, 2014.
(Photo: Reuters/ Ahmed Saad)
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Jasim Jbara, head of the security committee of Salahudin provincial council, said that the troops backed by allied Shiite and Sunni militias completely liberated the vast oil refinery of Baiji. Jbara said that the security forces also started a clearing operation across the refinery to defuse landmines and roadside bombs planted by the IS before withdrawing from their positions in the refinery. He added that the security forces managed to free the eastern and central parts of the nearby town of Baiji after pushing back the IS militants who are still fighting in western neighborhoods of the town.