Gunmen attack midwife training center

Militants attacked a midwife training center in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said — the latest violence to hit the war-torn country.

A number of explosions were reported and gunshots could be heard around the trainee midwives' dormitory in the city of Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province.

Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial government spokesman, said some of the students had been evacuated.

One of the attackers died after detonating a suicide bomb, but a second was holed up in the building for several hours before being killed, Khogyani said.

Later, the government confirmed that the attack had ended, and that three people were killed besides the assailants - a driver and two security guards.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Read more: 'Warlord' Afghan vice president returns from exile to ease political tension

'Attack may be ongoing'

A witness near the scene told the Agence France-Presse news agency he could hear sporadic gunfire, suggesting the attack may be ongoing.

Another witness described hearing several explosions and then seeing three gunmen enter the lane where the midwife center is located.

Jalalabad has been the scene of several attacks in recent months that have killed dozens of people.

Read more: Civilian deaths hit record high in Afghanistan, says UN

Most of the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

As well as IS, Taliban insurgents are active in Nangarhar province.

mm,es/kms (AFP, Reuters)