Kabul Suicide Attack: Attack on school in Afghan capital leaves dozens dead

Kabul At least 19 people were killed in a suicide attack on a school hall packed with hundreds of students preparing for exams in the Afghan capital on Friday, police and witnesses said. Most of the victims were girls, as they blew up the Kahji Higher Education Center, which primarily teaches adult men and women.

“We had about 600 people in the classroom, but most of the victims were girls,” Akbar, a student injured in the attack, told AFP from a nearby hospital.

The bombing occurred in the Dasht-e-Barchi district in western Kabul. The district is a predominantly Shiite Muslim neighborhood home to the minority Hazara community and has been targeted by some. Afghanistandeadliest attacks.

Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said: “Students were preparing for their exams when a suicide bomber hit this education center. Unfortunately, 19 were martyred and 27 injured.” said.

According to a nearby store owner, there was a loud explosion and a large number of students rushed out of the center.

“Many students were confused trying to escape from the building. It was a frightening sight. Everyone was very scared,” he told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Videos posted online and photos released by local media show bloody victims being carried away from the scene.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Thakor tweeted: “Security forces have arrived at the scene. Details of the nature of the attack and casualties will be announced later.” “Attacking civilians is a testament to the enemy’s inhumane cruelty and lack of moral standards.”

Families rushed to the area hospital, an ambulance arrived with the victims, and a list of casualties was posted on the wall.

“We couldn’t find her here,” one woman who was looking for her sister in a hospital told AFP. She said, “She was 19…we’re calling her, but she hasn’t answered.”

Taliban members forced families of victims to leave the grounds of at least one hospital for fear of subsequent attacks on crowds.

By Friday afternoon, the Taliban allowed journalists to visit the education center.

An AFP correspondent reported that the roof of the hall where students had gathered for exams had completely collapsed, blowing out doors and windows.

City officials were sweeping the floor, but there were still traces of dried blood and pieces of meat scattered about.

The return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan last year ended 20 years of war and significantly reduced violence, but security has begun to deteriorate in recent months.

Afghanistan’s Shiite Hazaras have faced persecution for decades, and the Taliban were accused of abuses against the group when it first ruled from 1996 to 2001.

After they returned to power, such accusations were brought up again.

Hazara is also a frequent target of attacks by T.Aliban’s Enemy, Afghan Branch of ISIS group. Both groups view the Hazaras as heretics.

A number of attacks have devastated the Dasht-e-Barchi district, some targeting women, children and schools. Last year, before the Taliban returned to power, three of his bombs exploded near schools in the area, killing at least 85 of his people, mostly female students, and wounding around 300 others.

No group claimed responsibility, but a year earlier ISIS claimed that a suicide attack on the same nearby education center killed 24 people, including students.

In May 2020, the group was accused of a bloody gun attack on the maternity ward of a hospital in Dashte Balti, killing 25 people, including a new mother.

And in April of this year, two deadly bombs exploded at separate education centers in the area. killed 6 people Injured at least 20 people.

Education is a flashpoint in Afghanistan. Taliban prevent many girls from returning home to secondary education. ISIS also opposes the education of women and girls.