JALALABAD, Afghanistan, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Three civilians were killed and 12 others injured by Islamic State (IS) militants after Afghan security forces repelled their attacks in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the provincial government said on Friday.
"IS militants attacked several security checkpoints in Seapy and Bandar areas of Kot district overnight, triggering heavy clashes between security forces and IS fighters which lasted until early hours of Friday," it said in a statement.
The security forces repelled the attacks and killed more than 30 IS militants but in retaliation the IS fighters set on fire several civilians' houses and killed three civilians, including a child, the statement noted.
"Among the injured were three innocent children," the statement added.
Nangarhar province with Jalalabad city as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and IS militants over the past couple of months.
The violence has been on the rise since the drawdown of foreign forces over the past two years as the Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by anti-government fighters.
About 600 civilians were killed and more than 1,340 others wounded in conflict-related violence and militant attacks in the first quarter of the year, according to UN mission in the Central Asian country.
