A grenade explosion near the Sham-e Hedayat private school in the Dasht-e Barchi area of western Kabul on Monday, 19 August injured more than 52 people, the majority of them children aged between 9 and 14 years, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The blast has drawn swift and sharp condemnation from international bodies including Amnesty International, UNICEF, the European Union (EU), and UNAMA, all calling for an urgent independent investigation.

What Happened

Taliban police spokesperson Khalid Zadran confirmed the blast was caused by a hand grenade but provided no further details on who was carrying the device or how it detonated, according to local media reports. The explosion occurred in Dasht-e Barchi, a densely populated neighbourhood in western Kabul that is home to a large Hazara and Shia community.

Notably, the area has endured more than a decade of recurring attacks targeting schools, mosques, healthcare facilities, and public transport by various armed groups. This incident is the latest in a grim pattern of violence directed at civilian and educational infrastructure in the region.

International Condemnation

Amnesty International described the incident as 'deeply disturbing' and demanded a 'thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigation' conducted in line with international law and standards. The rights group also insisted that those found responsible must face justice through fair trials.

'Dasht-e-Barchi, a predominantly Hazara-populated area of Kabul, has endured more than a decade of repeated attacks on schools, mosques, public transport and healthcare facilities by various armed groups. The Taliban, as the de facto authorities, must ensure the protection of civilians including religious and ethnic minorities in Afghanistan,' Amnesty International stated.

UNICEF voiced serious concern over the injuries sustained by children and called for the safety, dignity, and rights of all children to be respected and protected at all times. 'Our thoughts are with the injured children, their families and all those affected. Schools must be safe places. Children should never be a target and exposed to violence or harm,' UNICEF Afghanistan said in a post on X.

EU and UNAMA Respond

The European Union expressed grave concern, stressing that schools must remain safe spaces and that deliberate attacks on educational institutions are 'unacceptable.' In a post on X, EU in Afghanistan said: 'We are deeply concerned by an explosion near Sham-e-Hedayat School, Dasht-e-Barchi, injuring dozens of students. Swift recovery to the injured; sympathies to families and school community. Schools must be safe; deliberate attacks on children and education centers are unacceptable.'

UNAMA confirmed that the injured children were aged between 9 and 14 years and called for a full investigation into the circumstances of the blast. 'Our thoughts are with the children injured and their families. We call for an investigation to establish the circumstances of this incident. Schools and education centres must be kept safe,' UNAMA said.

Context: A Community Under Siege

The Dasht-e Barchi neighbourhood has been one of Kabul's most frequently targeted areas. Past attacks in the locality have struck a maternity hospital, a wrestling club, a school, and a mosque — with the Hazara minority community bearing a disproportionate share of casualties. Under Taliban rule since August 2021, the de facto authorities have faced sustained criticism from human rights organisations over their capacity and willingness to protect ethnic and religious minorities from militant violence.

With no group immediately claiming responsibility for the 19 August blast, international pressure is mounting on the Taliban to conduct a credible investigation and publicly account for the security failures that allowed the attack to occur.