Afghan official: Car bomb kills 8 in eastern province

JALALABAD, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says eight people have been killed and another 18 wounded when a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle in a remote district near the border with Pakistan.

Gen. Zarawar Zahid, the chief of police in Nangarhar province, said on Tuesday that women and children were among the dead and injured.

Zahid said the attack in the Nazyan district targeted a tribal elder who was also involved with organizing informal local militias against insurgents in the area.

The border regions of Nangarhar have seen heavy fighting in the last half year, with insurgent groups battling each other and government forces.

Officials say that fighters claiming to represent the Islamic State group, usually former Taliban, have been targeted in recent months by drone strikes and military operations.