KABUL – A series of explosion at a cricket stadium in the Jalalabad City ofAfghanistan killed at least eight people, local officials confirmed onSaturday.

The back to back blasts occurred when a number of spectators were busy inwatching a cricket match at a local stadium in the city, reported ToloNews. It is first attack since the holy month of Ramazan began.

The match was part of a cricket tournament, Ramadan Cup, held between localteam, an official said, adding that Hedayatullah Zahir, an organizer of thecricket tournament, and Dr Nikmal, deputy mayor of Mehtarlam City ofLaghman province, are among killed.

Around 45 people were wounded in the attack who have been shifted tohospital for medical treatment.

It is suspected that the deadly attack was carried out by IS as Taliban hasdenied any involvement in the Jalalabad blasts.

Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, on the border with Pakistan,has a Taliban presence and is also a stronghold of the Daesh group.

In September 2017, Daesh attacked a cricket match in Kabul killing threepeople and injuring three.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday condemned the attack in Jalalabad.

“The terrorists did not stop killing our people even during the holy monthof Ramadan … by carrying out a terrorist attack in a populated sportstadium, once again they have proved that they are not bound to any creedor religion, and they are the enemy of humanity,” a statement from hisoffice said.