Taliban fighters stand guard as people search for relatives outside a hospital in Kabul on September 30, following an explosion at a learning center in the Afghan capital. AFP/Getty Images
A suicide bombing at an educational center in Kabul has left at least 23 dead, most of whom are believed to be young women, in the latest sign of the deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital.
The blast took place Friday at the Kaaj Education Center, in a neighborhood that is predominantly Hazara, a minority ethnic group that has long faced oppression.
The students were taking a practice college entrance exam at 7:30 am local time (11 pm ET) when the explosion first occurred, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran told CNN.
Abdu Ghayas Momand, a doctor at Ali Jinah Hospital, where some of the victims were taken, said 23 people had died and 36 more were injured.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack.
The Taliban condemned an attack in Kabul.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls the attack on the Kaj training center in the 13th district of Kabul a great crime and strongly condemns it, and expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this incident. Serious measures will be taken to find and punish the perpetrators,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mojahid said in a tweet.
Unicef said it was “appalled by the horrific attack” in a tweet on Friday.
“This heinous act claimed the lives of dozens of adolescent girls and boys and seriously injured many more,” he said. “Violence in or around educational establishments is never acceptable. Such places should be havens of peace where children can learn, be with friends and feel safe while developing skills for their future.”
The United States said it “strongly condemned the attack” in a statement on Twitter.
“Pointing to a room full of students taking exams is embarrassing; all students should be able to pursue an education in peace and without fear,” wrote the Charge d’Affaires of the United States Mission in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, there have been multiple attacks against the Hazara community.
The Islamic State of Khorasan province has claimed responsibility for 13 attacks against Hazaras and has been linked to three more that have killed and injured at least 700 people, according to Human Rights Watch.