At least two civilians were killed and 24 other people wounded in a car bomb blast and ensuing gunfire outside a prison in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province Sunday, a local official confirmed.

The attack took place during a three-day Eid al-Adha ceasefire between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

"Terrorists detonated a car bomb at front gate of Nangarhar prison roughly at 6:30 p.m. (local time), destroying the front wall of the building," provincial government spokesman Attahullah Khogiani told Xinhua.

The spokesman added that a group of assailants engaged with the prison guards and tried to enter into the prison after the blast.

"The security forces are responding to the attack and they are trying to foil the terrorist vicious plan to infiltrate into the prison building," he said.

The exchange of fire continued as of 8:30 p.m. local time Sunday, according to witnesses.

The details would be made public later as investigation was underway to find more facts about the incident and the casualties were likely to be changed, he added.

The blast sent a column of thick smoke into the sky and triggered panic, the spokesman said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The Islamic State (IS) group also has presence in the region, 120 km east of Kabul.

The blast came as the Afghan security forces and Taliban militants were observing the Eid festival truce which is expected to end late Sunday.

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