Kabul, Afghanistan
CNN
—
A suicide bomb assault on an schooling heart in Kabul has killed not less than 23 folks, most of whom are believed to be younger girls, within the newest signal of the deteriorating safety scenario within the Afghan capital.
The explosion occurred on Friday on the Kaaj schooling heart, in a predominantly Hazara neighborhood – an ethnic minority group that has lengthy confronted oppression.
Students had been taking a follow college entrance examination at 7:30 a.m., native time (11 p.m. ET) when the blast first occurred, Kabul Police Spokesman Khalid Zadran advised CNN.
Abdu Ghayas Momand, a health care provider from Ali Jinah Hospital, the place a number of the victims have been taken, mentioned 23 folks had been killed and 36 extra injured.
There has been no declare of duty for the assault.
Taiba Mehtarkhil, an eyewitness, advised CNN lots of the casualties had been younger girls. She had gone to the middle to search for her pal after she heard information of the assault and was confronted with scenes of chaos and despair, she mentioned.
“I saw parents, other members of the families of the Kaaj students, screaming and running up and down,” she mentioned. “Some were trying to get emergency medical attention to their loved ones and some others were looking for their sons and daughters. I saw around 20 killed and many more wounded with my own eyes.”
Mehtarkhil’s pal survived the assault as she was operating late and hadn’t reached the classroom when the blast occurred, she mentioned.
Another eyewitness, a 20-year-old who didn’t need to be named for safety causes, advised CNN she was about 20 steps from the gate when the explosion threw her to the bottom.
“When I got inside, I saw many of my classmates in blood. I found out that the explosion had happened inside my classroom,” she mentioned, by tears.
“I was in a state of shock. I was just screaming my friends’ names and searching for them. I found some of them alive, but not my closest friend who was 19, and the most intelligent girl in our class,” she mentioned.
Her classroom is the most important within the heart and usually matches about 500 female and male college students, she mentioned.
“It is horrible, I am still in shock, it feels like a nightmare. It killed many of my dearest friends and classmates. I want the world not to treat this as another news piece. I want the world to know the pain we are going through right now. I am totally devastated,” she mentioned.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the assault in a tweet Friday.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls the attack on Kaj training center in the 13th district of Kabul a big crime, strongly condemns it, and expresses deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of this incident.”
“Serious measures will be taken to find and punish the perpetrators,” he added.
UNICEF mentioned it was “appalled by the horrific attack” in a tweet Friday.
“This heinous act claimed the lives of dozens of adolescent girls and boys and severely injured many more,” it mentioned. “Violence in or around education establishments is never acceptable. Such places must be havens of peace where children can learn, be with friends, and feel safe as they build skills for their futures.”
The United States mentioned it “strongly condemned the attack” in an announcement on Twitter.
“Targeting a room full of students taking exams is shameful; all students should be able to pursue an education in peace and without fear,” the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan wrote.
Since the Taliban took management of Afghanistan in August 2021, there have been a number of assaults towards the Hazara group.
The Islamic State of Khorasan Province has claimed duty for 13 assaults towards the Hazaras and been linked to a few extra which have killed and injured not less than 700 folks, in accordance with Human Rights Watch.
“The Taliban authorities have done little to protect these communities from suicide bombings and other unlawful attacks or to provide necessary medical care and other assistance to victims and their families,” the report added.
A string of assaults in Kabul have claimed dozens of lives in current weeks.
Earlier this month, two Russian embassy staff had been amongst six folks killed in a suicide blast close to the Russian embassy, and in August, an explosion at a mosque throughout night prayers killed 21 folks and injured 33 extra.
This is a breaking information story. More to return.