19 students killed, 23 injured after bomb blast hits religious school in Afghanistan

A bomb blast hit a religious school in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 19 students and 23 others wounded. The explosion went off at around the time of afternoon prayers at the Al Jihad Madrassa in Aybak, the capital of Samangan province yesterday. Most of the students at the school are young boys.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor said a number of students were wounded in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. But the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group has been waging a campaign of violence that escalated since the Taliban took power in August 2021.