55 killed, 150 injured in Kabul school blast

KABUL: Explosions caused by a car bomb and mortars outside a school in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday killed at least 55 people and wounded over 150, mostly female students, officials said.

The explosion rocked the west Kabul district of Dasht-e-Barchi - a regular target of militants - as residents were out shopping ahead of Eidul Fitr next week. It comes as the United States military continues to pull out its last remaining 2,500 troops from violence-wracked Afghanistan, despite faltering peace efforts between the Taliban and Afghan government to end a decades-long war. Interior Ministry spokesperson Tareq Arian told reporters that at least “30 people were killed and 52 wounded” in the blast. Arian’s deputy Hamid Roshan said that an investigation had begun into the explosion, adding that casualties included students.

“I saw many bloodied bodies in dust and smoke, while some of the wounded were screaming in pain,” Reza, who escaped the blast, said, adding that most of the victims were teenaged female students who had just left the school. “I saw a woman checking the bodies and calling for her daughter. She then found her daughter’s blood stained purse after which she fainted and fell to the ground”.

Health ministry spokesperson Dastagir Nazari said several ambulances had been rushed to the site and were evacuating the wounded. He said an angry crowd had beaten the ambulance workers at the site.

No organisation took responsibility for the attack and the Taliban denied involvement. But President Ashraf Ghani blamed the group for the blast, which took place near the entry gate of Sayed Al-Shuhada girls’ school. “This savage group (Taliban) does not have the power to confront security forces on the battlefield, and instead targets with brutality and barbarism public facilities and the girls’ school,” he said in a statement.

The Taliban has denied carrying out attacks in Kabul since February last year, when they signed a deal with the United States that paved the way for peace talks and withdrawal of the remaining US troops.

But the group has clashed in near-daily battles in the rugged countryside with Afghan forces even as the US military continues its withdrawal.

The European Union delegation in Afghanistan condemned what it said was a “despicable act of terrorism”. “Targeting primarily students in a girls’ school, makes this an attack on the future of Afghanistan. On young people determined to improve their country,” it said on Twitter.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed its “deep revulsion” at the blast.

Meanwhile, Pakistan strongly condemns the reprehensible attacks at a school in Kabul, Afghanistan which led to loss of many precious lives and injuries.

In a statement, the government and the people of Pakistan offer heartfelt condolences to the government and the people of Afghanistan and pray for quick recovery of the injured.

Pakistan condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations. At this moment of grief, Pakistan stands by Afghan brethren in their struggle against the scourge of terrorism. Pakistan will continue to support Afghanistan on its path to peace, progress and prosperity, the statement added.