More than 52 people were injured in a grenade explosion near the Sham-e Hedayat private school in Dasht-e Barchi, western Kabul, according to security officials and local witnesses.
Khalid Zadran, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Kabul, said on Monday, August 17, that the explosion was caused by a hand grenade. He did not immediately provide further details about who was carrying the grenade or how it detonated.
Witnesses said the grenade exploded while it was in the possession of one of the school’s students, who was also injured in the blast. The circumstances surrounding how the student obtained the grenade and why it was detonated remain unclear.
The number of injured was still being assessed, and there were no confirmed reports of fatalities at the time of reporting.
The incident occurred in Dasht-e Barchi, a densely populated area of western Kabul that has previously been hit by deadly attacks, including violence targeting schools and educational institutions. The area has a large Hazara and Shia population and has faced repeated security incidents over the years.
The latest blast has raised fresh concerns about the safety of students and civilians in the area, particularly given the presence of explosive materials and weapons in communities affected by decades of conflict.
Authorities have not indicated whether the explosion was accidental or deliberate. Further investigation will be needed to establish how the grenade came into the student’s possession and the circumstances that led to the blast.
