At least 19 people were killed and 30 injured in a suspected attack at a training center west of Kabul. The region has seen a series of violent incidents targeting the Shia Hazara minority, with the recent assault fueling fears of renewed sectarian violence.
A spokesman for the capital city police reported the blast at the Kaj training center, noting 19 fatalities and 27 injuries. The official, Khaled Zadran, described the incident as a suicide attack and stressed that the facility was crowded with individuals undergoing preparation for university entrance exams.
The explosion occurred during a class session as students prepared for a practice exam. Local authorities indicated that the training center had been filled with learners at the time of the attack, complicating rescue efforts and raising concerns about security measures around educational institutions.
Authorities have emphasized the need for proactive security protocols when conducting security operations near schools and training centers. Officials cited ongoing efforts to inform police districts ahead of such actions as part of broader safety programs.
Malawi Shamsullah, the 13th District Police Chief for Kabul, stated that the number of injured could range between 30 and 40, reflecting the chaotic and evolving nature of the scene as updates continued to come in from responders.
The attack targeted the Hazara district of Gaziantep, known locally as Dasht-e-Barchi, an area with a significant Hazara population. There is currently no claim of responsibility by any terrorist organization for this particular strike, though the Hazara community has endured multiple attacks in the past.
In the past, the jihadist movement Islamic State has urged further assaults against Shia communities in Afghanistan, labeling the Hazara as apostates. The current violence comes amid a broader pattern of sectarian tension and security challenges across the country.
Earlier incidents include at least five injuries from two explosions in Dasht-e-Barchi on a different date, with ISIS claiming responsibility for a bomb attack at a Shiite mosque during Ramadan that left 12 people dead and 34 injured. Such events illustrate a sustained risk to minority communities in Afghanistan and the precarious security environment surrounding educational facilities used by young people and families.
Attacks on Hazara students have recurred in Afghanistan over recent years. In another high casualty incident last April, the toll included at least six deaths and 25 injuries, though inconsistent information from various witnesses and authorities made precise figures difficult to verify at the time. In May 2021 a girls’ school was struck in the Dashte Barchi district resulting in widespread casualties, and earlier in October 2020 another attack on a learning center serving this minority claimed the lives of 24 people and left 57 injured.
Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have conducted operations against Islamic State elements in multiple regions of the country. The authorities have frequently asserted that their leadership seeks to restore security and stabilize the country, presenting such efforts as a hallmark of their governance. Critics argue that security remains fragile and that the minority population continues to bear the brunt of the violence, challenging claims of a return to normalcy in the wake of the conflict.
Security authorities have pledged to consolidate intelligence, bolster protection for educational sites, and intensify efforts to dismantle extremist networks. Yet the recent assault underscores the persistent threat facing Hazara communities and the ongoing struggle to shield civilians from terrorist violence amid a volatile security landscape in Afghanistan.
The broader political and military dynamics in the country remain unsettled. While the Taliban insist that their regime will end the violence and deliver stability, many residents worry that minority communities will continue to bear the heaviest consequences of a protracted conflict and that attacks on schools and training centers will persist as a grim reminder of the troubled security environment.