The day began with three deadly explosions targeting educational institutions in west Kabul, a Hazara neighborhood. The first blast targeted Mumtaz tuition center at 9 am, and the second and the third ones happened half an hour later outside Abdul Rahim Shahid high school.
The Taliban said at least six were killed and 20 wounded but witnesses said the death toll could be as high as 40, and the injuries as high as 50.
Families rushed to the hospitals after the attack to find their loved ones. A video shared widely on social shows a Taliban fighter slapped a victim’s relative who waited outside the hospital.
The Taliban also dispersed a crowd of the people who came to Mohammad Ali Jinnah hospital to donate blood for the wounded victims of the attack.
Mohammad Sarwar, a resident of Barchi, said he went to donate blood but the Taliban did not allow him to enter the hospital.
“No one understands the Taliban’s intention that why they are not letting people to enter the hospital and donate blood,” he said. “They mistreated and disrespected families of today’s victims.”
Looking on the list of the victims in Watan hospital, an old man started crying loudly.
“I lost three children. Where should I go now?” he said. “I wish a bomb would come and kill us all.”
“My two sons have been killed and I do not know whether my third son is alive or dead,” he said.
Halima, a mother of six, said her 17-year-old son, Ali Reza, was missing after the attack. She said she and other family members went to the hospitals and blast sites, hoping to find his son.
Ambulances evacuated dead and wounded victims from the blast site close to Abdul Rahim Shahid high school until noon time.
The Taliban also didn’t allow journalists to take photos and videos of the explosion sites in the aftermath of the attack.
A group of students surrounded a dead body of their classmate outside Abdul Rahim Shahid high school.
“Dear Hussian, please wake up,” one of his classmates begged, crying. “Don’t leave us alone.”
Hawa, a mother who lost her oldest son in the attack, said her son wanted to go to Iran but she told him to finish high school, then go abroad on scholarship.
“Savages took him and his wishes,” she said.
Mohammad Ali, a high school student, said he carried the bodies of his ten classmates.
“The number of wounded is countless,” he said.
Dr. Zakeria, the director of Mohammad Ali Jinnah hospital, said five dead bodies and 18 wounded were into the hospital.
The blasts outside Abdul Rahim Shahid school happened shortly before the students left school. The first blast occurred near the school entrance at 9:31 am.
“When we got out, the second explosion happened,” Abbas, a nine-grade student, said. “I saw that some people were blown away.”
He said the second blast place happened among the fleeing crowds.
Abdul Rahim Shahid is one of Kabul’s largest schools which has thousands of students. The school has no security guard or camera, students said.
The attack drew widespread national and international condemnations.
Mohammad Mohaqiq, a Hazara leader, called today’s bombings a genocide and a crime against humanity. Former Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, also called today’s attacks a crime against humanity.
UNAMA condemned the attack, and the United States expressed “outrage” in response to “heinous” attacks.
