30 dead and many injured in blast near Afghanistan school

Update: Death toll rises to 85.

Update: Death toll reaches 58.

A blast near a girls’ school in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul left 32 dead with many wounded on Saturday.

The explosion took place at the western Kabul district, Dashte-e-Barchi as the residents were outside in the markets shopping for the upcoming Eid Festival. The district mainly comprises the Hazara ethnicity of the Shia sect in Islam and has been a the target of several attacks in the past.

The victims included teenage female students who were taking off after studying at the Syed Al-Shuhada girls’ school.

Afghanistan Interior Ministry spokesperson Tariq Arian, remarked that “30 people were killed and 52 wounded”.

Many contemporary civilians recalled hearing three distinct explosions. The Afghan officials suspect a car bomb and a number of mortars behind the explosions.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has held the Taliban responsible for the attack, even though, they have denied involvement.

In his statement, he remarked, “The Taliban, by escalating their illegitimate war and violence, have once again shown that they are not only reluctant to resolve the current crisis peacefully and fundamentally, but are complicating the situation.”

US chargé d’affaires to Afghanistan, Mr. Ross Wilson condemned the ‘abhorrent’ attack and in his statement on twitter stated, “With scores murdered, this unforgivable attack on children is as assault on Afghanistan’s future, which cannot stand. My deepest condolences to the students & families who have suffered.”

This terrorist attack on a Kabul girls' school is abhorrent. With scores murdered, this unforgivable attack on children is as assault on Afghanistan’s future, which cannot stand. My deepest condolences to the students & families who have suffered.

— Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson (@USAmbKabul) May 8, 2021

The attack can be considered as the imminent violence in consequence to the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021. With no boots on ground there are high chances that former bases and equipment left behind by the US may fall into the wrong hands as the Afghan army might fail to stop the Taliban and other groups from gaining more ground if talks fail.

With the Taliban not claiming responsibility and condemning the attack and Afghan President Ghani blaming them for it, we are likely seeing a sabotage to the talks with the entity behind the sabotage hidden and unknown.