According to a report by Reuters on August 18th, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan stated that an explosion occurred at an education center in Kabul on the 16th, causing at least 42 children to be injured. The mission called for an “investigation to determine the specifics of the incident”.
It is reported that the explosion occurred in the evening of the 16th, in the Dasht-e-Barchi community of Kabul. This community is predominantly inhabited by Afghan Hazaras and Shiite minorities, and has been a target of armed attacks on several occasions in the past.
Reuters stated that it is unable to independently verify the cause of the explosion. The Kabul police force, under the leadership of the Taliban, has not responded to the explosion incident yet.
A local hospital treated at least 35 injured students. The hospital stated that all patients were between the ages of 10 and 14.
According to a statement issued by Dejan Panić, the Afghanistan National Director of Kabul Emergency Hospital, “All patients suffered from shrapnel injuries, and at least three of them require surgical treatment.”
Due to the special characteristics of the location where the event occurred, a large volume of voices condemned the explosion as a "targeted attack."
Darshtarbachi is a densely populated community in western Kabul, where Hazaras live. In recent years, the area has been frequently attacked, many of which have targeted civilians, students, and members of the Shiite minority.
In May 2021, a school in that area was attacked, resulting in at least 85 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The majority of the victims were girls and women. In September 2022, a suicide bomber attacked a tutoring center during the university entrance examination practice sessions, causing at least 19 deaths, many of whom were also young women and girls.
United Nations Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett on social media condemned the incident as "shocking and disturbing."
The EU delegation in Afghanistan has also posted on social media saying, "Intentional attacks against children and educational centers are unacceptable."
