Explosion Kills Dozens in Eastern Afghanistan

Local military commander Hazrat Ali told the Associated Press the blast was “a tremendous explosion” and “the number of dead will probably rise because of people dying in the hospital.”

An Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman told Reuters it was unclear whether the blast had been caused by an accidental detonation of explosives used in road construction or an intentional act of terrorism.

“The explosion happened inside the [Afghan Construction and Logistics Unit] compound, but we are not sure what caused it,” the spokesman said. “There are two speculations: first that the explosive material that went off belonged to ACLU and second that explosive devices were placed in a truck and then blown up by a remote control.”

An investigation is underway to determine the blast’s origin.

Military commander Mohammad Sultan told an AP reporter on the scene that a car bomb was behind the blast, but earlier, the deputy governor of the Nangarhar province told the Afghan Islamic Press the explosion may have been an accident.

The blast damaged between 40 and 50 nearby homes, some as far as 500 yards away, press reports said. A hydroelectric dam situated some 200 yards away sustained damage to its electrical works, the Associated Press reported. Nearby Jalalabad University and surrounding areas also suffered power problems related to the incident.

The blast comes at a time of heightened security in Afghanistan after several high-profile violent incidents. On July 6, Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir was assassinated in Kabul. Later that same month, officials discovered a would-be car bomber driving through the Afghan capital’s streets.

Afghan and international security forces have patrolled Kabul since a U.S.-led military force removed the city’s former Taliban rulers last December.