Afghan official: Islamic State kills 8, including civilians

KABUL – An Afghan official says Islamic State militants in the country’s east have killed eight people, including two women and two children.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial governor, says two policemen were among those killed while seven civilians were wounded in Friday’s violence in Kot district, where IS militants attacked several checkpoints.

Khogyani says the IS extremists also burned down 25 houses in the district.

He says Afghan forces responded to the attack and that fighting with IS militants is continuing in the district and that about 30 militants have been killed in fierce clashes.

An Islamic State affiliate has emerged over the last year in eastern Afghanistan. Insurgent attacks against both Afghan security forces and civilians have escalated across the country as part of the insurgents’ warm-weather offensive.