Kabul: raihana19, wanted to be a doctor, studying till midnight in recent weeks AfghanistanUniversity entrance exams, a chance for women to pursue their education even as they face mounting restrictions Taliban government.
Her diligent preparation came to an end on Friday when a suicide bomber detonated her explosives during a practice test in a packed room of girls at Kaz Education Institute, a private educational center in the capital. Kabul,
Raihana’s father, a shopkeeper, took her to the hospital but she did not survive.
“She was always saying, ‘If you have the chance, you shouldn’t miss it, and you have to do your best.’ But she did not know that she was going to be martyred,” said her aunt Khatera, who asked that her full name not be used for fear of retaliation.
Young women like Raihana were denied opportunities for a standard secondary education under the Islamic Taliban, who seized power a year earlier, including several victims in the blast at the private centre.
Neighborhood residents whose family members, friends and neighbors were killed, injured and emotionally shaken told Reuters a violent blow to young women seeking education against already difficult odds.
The blast took place in the West Kabul region, where many people, such as Raihana, of the Hazara minority community of mostly Shia Muslims in Sunni-majority Afghanistan, lived. Thousands have been targeted in previous attacks launched by the ultra-radical Islamic State and others.
No one has claimed responsibility for Friday’s blast.
With girls’ secondary schools closed, “our last hope was educational institutions. Unfortunately now institutions are also in danger,” said Sakina Nazrik, a 25-year-old resident and former student of Kaj whose family friend was badly injured in the attack. Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, girls’ secondary schools have been closed in most provinces, including Kabul. The leadership went back on its promise to open all schools in March.
Private learning centers such as Kaaz have provided girls with the opportunity to further their education and attend universities, where women are still allowed, although they face increasing restrictions and increasing economic challenges.
Male students also sat for Friday’s mock exam, but according to a Taliban source and a witness, the attacker went to a part of the classroom where young women were sitting separately from their male peers, resulting in a large number of female casualties.
“Afghanistan’s Hazara Shia girls have reportedly (d) more than 60 killed and injured,” United Nations Mission Afghanistan said in a statement. “The responsible must face justice. The Taliban must fulfill the obligations to ensure the safety of all Afghans.”
The UN mission said at least 35 people were killed and 82 were injured. Police have confirmed 19 dead and 27 injured, but health workers and Taliban sources say the death toll is higher and many of the injured are in critical condition.
Taliban officials condemned the attack, saying the group would track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The Hazara community has been the target of a series of attacks, some claimed by Islamic State, including the overthrow of the Taliban under the republic.
“It’s not the last and it’s not the first,” said Sakina Yousufi, a volunteer education advocate from the area. He said that during the economic crisis of the country many families from modest background who gave everything to educate their children wanted to educate their daughters but they were scared.
“Many people are afraid to send their kids, their girls to a (private education) course or university,” she said. “Going to school is a big challenge … and now there are more challenges.”
Raihana’s aunt said that the family had vowed that all the children, including Raihana’s sister, would study to avenge her death.
“They want to stop us from learning from such antics and killings, but they will never stop us,” she said.
Her diligent preparation came to an end on Friday when a suicide bomber detonated her explosives during a practice test in a packed room of girls at Kaz Education Institute, a private educational center in the capital. Kabul,
Raihana’s father, a shopkeeper, took her to the hospital but she did not survive.
“She was always saying, ‘If you have the chance, you shouldn’t miss it, and you have to do your best.’ But she did not know that she was going to be martyred,” said her aunt Khatera, who asked that her full name not be used for fear of retaliation.
Young women like Raihana were denied opportunities for a standard secondary education under the Islamic Taliban, who seized power a year earlier, including several victims in the blast at the private centre.
Neighborhood residents whose family members, friends and neighbors were killed, injured and emotionally shaken told Reuters a violent blow to young women seeking education against already difficult odds.
The blast took place in the West Kabul region, where many people, such as Raihana, of the Hazara minority community of mostly Shia Muslims in Sunni-majority Afghanistan, lived. Thousands have been targeted in previous attacks launched by the ultra-radical Islamic State and others.
No one has claimed responsibility for Friday’s blast.
With girls’ secondary schools closed, “our last hope was educational institutions. Unfortunately now institutions are also in danger,” said Sakina Nazrik, a 25-year-old resident and former student of Kaj whose family friend was badly injured in the attack. Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, girls’ secondary schools have been closed in most provinces, including Kabul. The leadership went back on its promise to open all schools in March.
Private learning centers such as Kaaz have provided girls with the opportunity to further their education and attend universities, where women are still allowed, although they face increasing restrictions and increasing economic challenges.
Male students also sat for Friday’s mock exam, but according to a Taliban source and a witness, the attacker went to a part of the classroom where young women were sitting separately from their male peers, resulting in a large number of female casualties.
“Afghanistan’s Hazara Shia girls have reportedly (d) more than 60 killed and injured,” United Nations Mission Afghanistan said in a statement. “The responsible must face justice. The Taliban must fulfill the obligations to ensure the safety of all Afghans.”
The UN mission said at least 35 people were killed and 82 were injured. Police have confirmed 19 dead and 27 injured, but health workers and Taliban sources say the death toll is higher and many of the injured are in critical condition.
Taliban officials condemned the attack, saying the group would track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The Hazara community has been the target of a series of attacks, some claimed by Islamic State, including the overthrow of the Taliban under the republic.
“It’s not the last and it’s not the first,” said Sakina Yousufi, a volunteer education advocate from the area. He said that during the economic crisis of the country many families from modest background who gave everything to educate their children wanted to educate their daughters but they were scared.
“Many people are afraid to send their kids, their girls to a (private education) course or university,” she said. “Going to school is a big challenge … and now there are more challenges.”
Raihana’s aunt said that the family had vowed that all the children, including Raihana’s sister, would study to avenge her death.
“They want to stop us from learning from such antics and killings, but they will never stop us,” she said.