A huge explosion near the entrance of a girls’ high school in the western district of the Afghan capital, Kabul, killed at least 58 people and wounded more than 150, many of the victims being schoolgirls, at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, local hospitals reported today, just as school was ending. U.N. agencies have condemned the day’s deadly bomb attack outside a high school in the Afghan capital, Kabul. The Afghan president yesterday blamed the attack on Taliban insurgents, but a Taliban spokesman denied involvement, saying the group condemns any attack on Afghan civilians.
The death toll from an explosion outside a school in the Afghan capital Kabul on August 8 has risen to 58, officials said, and doctors are working to treat at least 150 of the wounded.
According to a Central News Agency report today, the bombing yesterday evening rocked Dasht-e-Barchi, a Shiite Muslim neighborhood in downtown Kabul. The minority sectarian community has been targeted by Sunni Islamic State militants in the past.
Families of those killed have condemned the Afghan government and Western powers for failing to bring the violence and ongoing war to an end.
The U.N. agency condemned the day’s deadly bombing outside a high school in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Most of the casualties were reportedly girls, who happened to be leaving school at the end of the day. According to media reports, Kabul was filled with shoppers on the eve of Eid celebrations.
UN Secretary-General Guterres issued a statement through his spokesperson strongly condemning the terrorist attack. Guterres expressed his deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Afghan government and people, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. He noted that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be held accountable. Guterres stressed the need to end the violence in Afghanistan and achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
According to U.N. sources, Sayed Shuhada High School is located in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood in western Kabul, where many Hazari (Hazara) minorities, mainly Shiite Muslims, live. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the area is a frequent target of Sunni Islamist militants.
No group or organization has yet come forward to claim responsibility, and the Taliban, a militia group, has denied involvement, according to AFP. But Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has blamed the Taliban for the attack.
As the first victims were buried in Kabul’s western district, the morgue was still working on claiming their remains. Some families are still searching for their missing relatives today, gathering outside the hospital to check the names posted on the walls and inspect the morgue. Mohammed Reza Ali, who is assisting families at a private hospital, said, “We’ve been moving the bodies of young men and women to a cemetery all night and praying for everyone injured in this attack.” He said, “Why not just kill us all so we can end this war?”
AFP said U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan began withdrawal operations a week ago, and the mission is expected to be completed by Sept. 11 this year, bringing an end to the longest U.S. war. However, the withdrawal of foreign troops has led to a surge in fighting between Afghan security forces and Taliban insurgents, with both sides trying to retain control of the strategic center.
Recent Comments