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Blast at educational center in Kabul sparks domestic and global condemnations
Friday’s deadly explosion at an educational center in Kabul has sparked widespread condemnations domestically and globally.
The blast at “Kaj” educational center left more 19 people dead, including boys and girls, and 27 others wounded, according to Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for Kabul police.
Ministry of Interior also confirmed the blast and the casualties.
The blast was widely condemned by the Islamic Emirate as well as Afghan political leaders and foreign diplomatic missions.
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a tweet condemned the attack and called it a “huge horror.”
“In order to arrest and punish the perpetrators of this incident, necessary measures will be taken,” Mujahid tweeted.
Former President Hamid Karzai also condemned the attack.
Karzai called the attack a crime against humanity, adding it was a clear conspiracy of the enemies of the country’s development.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack in a series of tweets later in the day calling it “sheer barbarism”. He extended Pakistan’s “deepest condolences and most sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and people of Afghanistan”.
Former chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), Abdullah Abdullah, condemned the attack, saying those responsible for the blast are the enemies of peace and development in the country.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted it “condemns the outrage, extending its deep condolences to all those in mourning.”
UNICEF said that children and adolescents must never be the target of violence.
“Once again, UNICEF reminds all parties in Afghanistan to adhere to and respect human rights, and ensure the safety and protection of all children and young people,” UNICEF tweeted.
US Charge d’Affaires Karen Decker said on Twitter: “The U.S. strongly condemns today’s attack on the Kaj Higher Educational Center. Targeting a room full of students taking exams is shameful; all students should be able to pursue an education in peace & without fear.”
Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, also condemned this attack.
“I condemn today’s horrific attack on students at Kaaj Academy Dasht-e Barchi. Repeat of 2018 ISKP attack at same location. Onslaught on education for Hazaras & Shia must end. Stop attacks on Afghanistan’s future,” said Bennett.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the blast.
Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, says efforts are ongoing to secure the release of all Americans detained in Afghanistan.
In a post on X, Gorka marked the anniversary of the release of George Glezmann, who had been held for 836 days, describing his detention as part of what he called the Islamic Emirate’s use of “hostage diplomacy.”
He added that Trump “will not rest” until all Americans held in Afghanistan are freed, naming detainees including Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi, Paul Overby, and Polynesus Jackson.
“Kabul, you have been warned,” he said.
The remarks come amid increased US pressure, including a recent designation by U.S. State Department labeling Afghanistan a “state sponsor of wrongful detention.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has described the decision as regrettable, emphasizing that disputes should be addressed through dialogue.
The ministry, said that citizens of no country are detained in Afghanistan for bargaining purposes. Instead, some individuals have been arrested on charges of violating the law, many of whom have later been released after completing legal procedures.
Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, says Islamabad does not seek to impose war on Afghanistan or occupy any part of its territory.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he stated that Pakistan’s primary expectation is for Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to address this concern could lead to the continuation of Pakistani operations targeting such groups.
Pakistani officials have long maintained that militant attacks in Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory. However, the Islamic Emirate has rejected the claim, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for what it describes as Pakistan’s “security failures.”
Afghanistan has once again been ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report.
The report, which measures people’s overall life satisfaction across 147 countries, placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the global ranking for another year, with a score 1.4 out of 10. Researchers assess factors such as income levels, social support, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption, and overall quality of life.
For the ninth consecutive year, Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country, with a score of 7.7. Iceland and Denmark followed it, as Nordic nations continued to dominate the top of the index.
A notable development came from Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place — the highest ranking ever recorded for a Latin American country.
Other countries with low rankings included Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
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