50 children injured in explosion outside school in Kabul; most in critical condition
A hand grenade detonated near the Sham-e Hedayat school in Dasht-e-Barchi; many of the wounded are children and in critical condition.
At least 50 young people were injured when a hand grenade exploded near a private school in western Kabul, hospital sources said, with most of the wounded being pupils.
The explosion occurred last night in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood, outside the Sham-e Hedayat private school. Local accounts said explosives were thrown into the school complex.
UN calls for independent probe as casualties mount
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan condemned the attack and called for an independent investigation. Taliban authorities confirmed the incident but provided no further details about its nature or any suspects.
Hospitals treating the wounded reported that many of those injured are in critical condition and require urgent medical attention. Most of the casualties are under 18, and several patients urgently need blood transfusions, medical sources said.
No group has officially claimed responsibility. Dasht-e-Barchi, a neighborhood predominantly inhabited by Hazara and Shiite communities in western Kabul, has repeatedly been the target of deadly attacks against civilians, students, schools, mosques and other public spaces.
The latest explosion has renewed concerns about security in the area and raised questions about the Taliban authorities' ability and readiness to prevent attacks on vulnerable and minority communities.
Photo: press material from the event
