World Bulletin / News Desk

A suicide bomb and gun attack by militants on an Afghan government building in Jalalabad on Tuesday killed at least 15 people, some burned "beyond recognition", officials said, the latest in a series of assaults on the eastern city.

The attack in Jalalabad targeted the compound of the refugees and repatriations department. It ended after more than five hours of intense fighting between militants and security forces, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province.

At least 15 people were killed and the same number were wounded, Khogyani said.

Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal said some of the dead were "burned beyond recognition".

As the raid began with a suicide attacker blowing up a bomb-laden car at the entrance, local representatives of foreign donors and agencies were meeting department employees inside the building.