The death toll from an armed attack on a bank in Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan has risen to 40 people, Saifur Rehman Ibrahimkhel, head of the Jalalabad Civil Hospital, said on Sunday.
Two suicide bombers blew themselves up near the local office of Afghanistan's largest private Kabul Bank at about noon local time on Saturday. Five more gunmen burst into the bank and opened fire at staff and clients.
Ibrahimkhel said the number of those injured in the attack reached 73 people as of Sunday morning. Earlier reports said the militants' attack killed 18 and wounded 70 people.
Attackers struck at the moment when many government employees, including police and security officers, queued in the bank to receive their wages.
A four-hour shootout between security forces and the attackers followed, in which many civilians were injured in the crossfire. Three attackers also detonated suicide vests.
KABUL, February 20 (RIA Novosti)
