Crime & Justice

At least 19 killed in attack on school in Kabul’s Hazara neighborhood

Kabul, Sep 30 (EFE).- At least 19 people were killed and another 27 injured after a powerful explosion occurred at a school in a Shia Hazara neighborhood in western Kabul on Friday, police said.

“There was a suicide bombing attack on Kaj education center which martyred 19 and wounded 27 others,” Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran told EFE.

“According to those in charge of the education center today, they had a practice university entrance exam (Kankor) for the students which was targeted,” he added.

The officer also urged education centers to inform the police districts’ security forces before conducting such programs.

Earlier, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi Takoor confirmed that the explosion occurred on Friday morning in the Dasht-e-Barchi area, local TV network Tolo reported.

Images broadcast by local news channel Ariana News channel showed images of victims being evacuated from the building and furniture destroyed by the explosion.

The Taliban interim government is yet to confirm the number of victims.

No terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far although the Islamic State (IS) terror group has traditionally targeted this minority.

IS considers Shias to be apostates and has carried out several attacks against them, especially in places of worship such as mosques.

On Sep. 10, at least five people were injured in two explosions in Dasht-e-Barchi while the IS claimed responsibility for an attack with explosives against a Shia mosque on Apr. 21, in which 12 people were killed and another 34 injured during Ramadan.

That same week, another six people died and 15 were injured in an attack against several education centers of the Shia Hazara minority in western Kabul.

Since coming to power in August last year, the Taliban have launched several operations against the IS in various parts of the country in an attempt to demonstrate that their return has led to an end to violence. EFE

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