An explosion struck an education centre in Kabul on Monday evening, injuring at least 42 children, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan confirmed on Tuesday, urging a thorough investigation to determine the incident’s circumstances.
The blast took place in Dasht-e-Barchi, a western Kabul neighborhood predominantly inhabited by Afghanistan’s Hazara and Shi’ite minority communities. This area has frequently been targeted by Sunni Islamist militants, including the Islamic State group.
Independent verification of the explosion’s cause remains unavailable. A Kabul hospital treating the victims reported admitting at least 35 students, all between 10 and 14 years old.
Dejan Panic, Afghanistan Country Director for the EMERGENCY hospital in Kabul, stated that all patients suffered shrapnel wounds, with at least three requiring surgical intervention.
The location of the explosion prompted widespread condemnation, with many viewing it as a deliberate attack. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, denounced the event as a “heinous attack” on social media.
Similarly, the European Union’s mission in Afghanistan condemned the assault, emphasizing that intentional attacks on children and educational institutions are unacceptable.
Dasht-e-Barchi, a densely populated area with a significant Hazara population, has endured numerous attacks over recent years, often targeting civilians, students, and members of the Shi’ite minority.
Notably, in May 2021, a school attack in the same neighborhood resulted in at least 85 deaths and hundreds of injuries, predominantly affecting girls and women. In September 2022, a suicide bombing at a tutoring centre during a university entrance exam practice killed at least 19 people, many of whom were young women and teenage girls.
