Kabul : At least 19 people were killed in a suicide attack at an education centre in Kabul where hundreds of students were preparing for university entrance exams on Friday morning.
The attack happened at the Kaj Education Centre in Dasht-e-Barchi, a mainly Hazara area in the west of the Afghan capital.
“Two suicide attackers entered the centre and killed two male and a female guard at the main gate. One of them detonated himself at the girls’ section,” Mohammad Taqi, a teacher who survived the attack.
“Most of those killed are our girl students while many male students are injured. In addition, at least one teacher is wounded.”
Kabul police said 19 people were killed and 27 others injured, but Mr Taqi and other witnesses said the number of casualties could be much higher.
Mr Taqi said there were about 500 students at the centre when the attackers struck.
“Casualties are high but we don’t know the exact number,” he said.
Hospitals in the area said they were instructed by the Taliban authorities not to share information.
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said “necessary measures will be taken to find and punish the perpetrators of this attack”.
Security teams were sent to the scene to investigate, said Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor.
A hospital source said 23 people had been killed, while a Taliban source said 33 people had died.
TNN
