At least 19 killed after gunmen storm Kabul University
Al Jazeera News :
At least 19 people were killed and 22 wounded Monday when militants stormed Afghanistan’s biggest university in an attack that ended only after hours of fighting with security forces, officials said.
“Three attackers were involved. One of them blew up his explosives at the beginning, two were brought down by the security forces,” Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian told AFP.
The Taliban said they were not involved in Monday’s incident at Kabul University, but several education centres have been attacked over the years by extremist groups such as Islamic State (IS). Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramerz told AFP most of those killed were students.
Hamid Obaidi, a spokesman for the ministry of higher education, told AFP the attack started when government officials were arriving for the opening of an Iranian book fair organised at the campus.
Gunmen stormed the facility, sending hundreds fleeing and scrambling over walls of the campus as they tried to escape the firing, witnesses said.
Afghan security forces later surrounded the area, cordoning off all roads that led to the university, witnesses and an AFP correspondent reported.
“The attack is over, but sadly 19 people have been killed and 22 more wounded,” interior spokesman Arian said on Twitter. Witnesses said the attack followed an explosion in the area. Students spoke of chaos and confusion.
“We were studying inside our classrooms when suddenly we heard a burst of gunfire inside the university,” said student Fraidoon Ahmadi, 23.
“Some university students have fled… it is chaotic and students are terrified,” he added.
Afghan media reported a book exhibition was being held at the university, which was being attended by a number of dignitaries at the time of the shooting.
While Afghan officials declined to discuss the book fair, Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency reported on Sunday that Iranian Ambassador Bahador Aminian and cultural attaché Mojtaba Noroozi were scheduled to inaugurate the fair, which would host some 40 Iranian publishers.
“The enemies of Afghanistan, the enemies of education… have entered Kabul University,” Arian had told reporters earlier on Monday.
“The security forces are in the area trying to control the situation. They are advancing carefully to prevent any harm to the students.”
At least 19 people were killed and 22 wounded Monday when militants stormed Afghanistan’s biggest university in an attack that ended only after hours of fighting with security forces, officials said.
“Three attackers were involved. One of them blew up his explosives at the beginning, two were brought down by the security forces,” Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian told AFP.
The Taliban said they were not involved in Monday’s incident at Kabul University, but several education centres have been attacked over the years by extremist groups such as Islamic State (IS). Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramerz told AFP most of those killed were students.
Hamid Obaidi, a spokesman for the ministry of higher education, told AFP the attack started when government officials were arriving for the opening of an Iranian book fair organised at the campus.
Gunmen stormed the facility, sending hundreds fleeing and scrambling over walls of the campus as they tried to escape the firing, witnesses said.
Afghan security forces later surrounded the area, cordoning off all roads that led to the university, witnesses and an AFP correspondent reported.
“The attack is over, but sadly 19 people have been killed and 22 more wounded,” interior spokesman Arian said on Twitter. Witnesses said the attack followed an explosion in the area. Students spoke of chaos and confusion.
“We were studying inside our classrooms when suddenly we heard a burst of gunfire inside the university,” said student Fraidoon Ahmadi, 23.
“Some university students have fled… it is chaotic and students are terrified,” he added.
Afghan media reported a book exhibition was being held at the university, which was being attended by a number of dignitaries at the time of the shooting.
While Afghan officials declined to discuss the book fair, Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency reported on Sunday that Iranian Ambassador Bahador Aminian and cultural attaché Mojtaba Noroozi were scheduled to inaugurate the fair, which would host some 40 Iranian publishers.
“The enemies of Afghanistan, the enemies of education… have entered Kabul University,” Arian had told reporters earlier on Monday.
“The security forces are in the area trying to control the situation. They are advancing carefully to prevent any harm to the students.”
