Deadly suicide bomb hits education center in Kabul

Kabul, Oct 24 (efe-epa).- A suicide bomber on Saturday killed at least 18 people and injured dozens more in an attack on an education center in a Kabul neighborhood predominantly populated by the persecuted Hazara community.

The attack is the latest to hit Afghanistan while peace talks between the government and the Taliban take place in the Qatari capital of Doha. The Taliban said it was not behind in Saturday’s attack.

The blast hit a street leading to the education center in Dasht-e-Barchi, a neghborhood in the west of Kabul, police spokesman Firdaws Faramarz told Efe.

Public health minister Akmal Samsor said: “Nearly all of the killed and injured persons are students of the education center. Our doctors in hospitals are currently providing emergency services to the injured persons and we are working on details.”

Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said a total of 18 people had been confirmed killed in the attack but that “the number of casualties may not be final and is subject to change.”