Islamic State claimed suicide attack on Afghanistan bank kills at least 33

Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, provincial government spokesman, confirmed the attack — the deadliest since November — but put the death toll slightly lower at 30.

“The explosion happened outside the bank when government employees and civilians were collecting their monthly salaries,” he told AFP.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the attack, which saw children among those killed, his office said in a statement.

“Carrying out terrorist attacks in cities and public places are the most cowardly acts of terror by terrorists targeting innocent civilians,” President Ghani said.

The scene of the attack showed the gruesome scale of the carnage with people lying in pools of blood and body parts scattered across the ground.

The bombing comes as Afghanistan braces for what is expected to be a bloody push by the Taliban at the start of the fighting season.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied responsibility.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed to have carried out a deadly suicide attack in what, if verified, would be the first major attack claimed by the group in the country.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said for the attack in a call to AFP and in an online post “Who claimed responsibility for horrific attack in Nangarhar today? The Taliban did not claim responsibility for the attack, Daesh (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack,” President Ghani said on a visit to Badakhshan.

A person purporting to be an IS spokesman claimed responsibility, although the claims could not be immediately verified.