At least six people were killed and 11 wounded on Tuesday after multiple explosions targeting educational facilities rocked Afghanistan‘s capital.
The blasts occurred in rapid succession and came from improvised explosive devices set off near the Abdul Rahim Shaheed High School and the Mumtaz Education Center several miles away, according to Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran.
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“According to preliminary statistics, in the series of explosions this morning that took place in the entrance gate of the school of Martyr Abdul Rahim in the area of District 6, six of our compatriots were martyred, and 11 others were injured,” Zadran said in a statement, per a Google translation. “Security forces are currently on the scene, and an investigation has been launched into the attack.”
Some reports indicate as many as 17 civilians may have been wounded in the explosions. Both sets of blasts took place in the neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi, which is a predominantly Shiite Muslim community. Abdul Rahim Shaheed High School was targeted with at least three explosions, and the Mumtaz Education Center was hit with at least one, according to Zadran.
The motive for the attack is not immediately clear. The Taliban have denied any involvement in the explosions, and so far, no terrorist group has claimed responsibility, CNN reported.
Abdul Rahim Shaheed High School is a prominent all-boys school within the country, and it is located in an area that has previously been attacked by the Islamic State and other terrorist groups due to its Shiite population, the BBC reported. Students were exiting morning classes when the explosions were set off, per the outlet.
There have not been reports of casualties at the Mumtaz Education Center, according to the Associated Press.
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An estimated 10% to 15% of Afghanistan’s population is Shiite, with the rest mostly being Sunni Muslim, according to the State Department.
Since the Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan last year, girls are only permitted to study up to the sixth grade. Boys are allowed to pursue higher levels of education.
