Attack took place at an education institute where an entrance exam was taking place
\nKABUL
\nAt least 23 people were killed and dozens of others injured in a suicide attack at an education institute in the Afghanistan\u2019s capital Kabul, police said Friday. According to reports, the explosion took place at the Kaaj education centre.
\nStudents were taking a practice university entrance exam at 7:30 a.m., local time when the blast first took place, Kabul Police Spokesman Khalid Zadran said in a statement. Abdu Ghayas Momand, a doctor from Ali Jinah Hospital, where some of the victims have been taken, said 23 people had been killed and 36 more injured.
\nTaliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid condemned the attack in a tweet on Friday. \u201cThe Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls the attack on Kaj training centre in the 13th district of Kabul a big crime, strongly condemns it, and expresses the deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of this incident. Serious measures will be taken to find and punish the perpetrators,\u201d he added.
\nThe official death toll is likely to rise. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack at the Kaaj Higher Educational Center in the west of the city. Many of those living in the area are Hazara, an ethnic military targeted in past attacks launched by the militant group Islamic State, the chief rival of the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, among others.
\n\u201cThis heinous act claimed the lives of dozens of adolescent girls and boys and severely injured many more,\u201d UNICEF said in a tweet. \u201cViolence in or around education establishments is never acceptable.
\nSuch places must be havens of peace where children can learn, be with friends, and feel safe as they build skills for their futures,\u201d the UNICEF remarked. The United States said it \u201cstrongly condemned the attack\u201d in a statement on Twitter.
\n\u201cTargeting a room full of students taking exams is shameful; all students should be able to pursue an education in peace and without fear,\u201d the Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires of the US Mission to Afghanistan wrote.
\nThe UN special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, also denounced the bombing. \u201cI condemn today\u2019s horrific attack on students at Kaaj Academy,\u201d Bennett tweeted with the hashtag #studentsnotargets. \u201cOnslaught on education for Hazaras & Shia must end. Stop attacks on Afghanistan\u2019s future, stop int\u2019l crimes. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Attack took place at an education institute where an entrance exam was taking place KABUL At least 23 people were killed and dozens of others injured in a suicide attack at an education institute in the Afghanistan\u2019s capital Kabul, police said Friday. According to reports, the explosion took place at the Kaaj education centre. Students […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":286714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-286687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n