Suicide attacker kills at least 19 in Afghanistan school blast (photos/videos)

A suicide bomber has attacked a school in the Afghan capital of Kabul killing at least 19 people and injuring as many as 27.

The blast occurred early Friday, September 30 in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of western Kabul, a predominantly Shia Muslim area, according to Afghanistan police spokesman, Khalid Zadran.

“Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this educational centre. Unfortunately, 19 people have been martyred and 27 others wounded,” he said.

Videos posted online and photos published by local media showed bloodied victims being carried away from the scene.

The victims included boys and girls taking a practice university entrance exam at the Kaj education centre when the blast went off, Zadran said. Schools are typically closed in Afghanistan on Fridays because its the Muslim day for attending mosque.

“Attacking civilian targets proves the enemy’s inhuman cruelty and lack of moral standards,” he said, without specifying who was believed to be behind the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack
 

The Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood has witnessed some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan in recent years.

In 2021, before the Taliban takeover, at least 85 people – mostly female students – were killed and about 300 others wounded when three bombs exploded near their school in Dasht-e-Barchi.

In April of this year, two deadly bomb blasts at separate education centres in the area killed six people and wounded 20 others.