A suicide bomb attack ripped apart an education centre in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Friday, 30 September, killing at least 19 people and injuring 27, the police said.
The blast occurred at the Kaaj Education Centre in the capital's Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood, which is a predominantly Shiite Muslim area and home to the minority Hazara community.
"Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this educational centre. Unfortunately, 19 people have been killed and 27 others wounded," a police spokesperson was quoted as saying by AFP.
The education centre coaches students, mainly adults, to prepare for entrance exams.
Families rushed to hospitals, where lists of those confirmed dead or wounded were posted on the walls. In at least one hospital, the Taliban forced families of the victims to vacate the site, fearing that there might be another attack.
However, no group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.
Attacks Against Hazara Muslims
Afghanistan's Shiite Hazara Muslims have been facing persecution for decades, with the Taliban having been accused of perpetrating abuse against the community when they were in power from 1996-2001.
Hazaras are also at the receiving end of attacks by the Islamic State, which is also a rival of the Taliban.
The Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood has also seen a number of attacks in recent times, mainly targeted against women and children.
Last year, at least 85 people, mostly girl students, were killed and hundreds more injured after three bombs went off near a school in the neighbourhood.
Also, in April this year, two bomb blasts occurred at separate education centres in the area, killing six people and injuring at least 20.
Slamming the attack on Friday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said, "Many civilian casualties in the callous attack at an education centre in a Hazara and Shia-majority area. The UN family condemns the outrage, extending its deep condolences to all those in mourning."
Even though the war between the Taliban and the United States ended after the latter's withdrawal of its troops from the country in 2021, the law and order situation has been deteriorating rapidly in recent months.
(With inputs from AFP.)
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