At least 25 people, mostly students, were killed and many wounded in a day-long encounter between terrorists and security forces after terrorists stormed the biggest university in Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday. The attack began with an explosion at the gates of the university campus in west Kabul just before 11 am on Monday morning.
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. The terrorists reportedly stormed into the campus when government officials were arriving for the opening of the Iranian book fair.
Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian confirmed that the gunfight was over and two of the three attackers involved in the dastardly attack were eliminated by the security forces and the third one blew himself with explosives. “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.
According to reports, no terrorist group has taken responsibility for the ongoing attack so far. Taliban has denied any involvement in today’s attack at Kabul University. Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist terror outfit originating in Afghanistan, waging war in the country in the form of an insurgency.
According to reports, classes were underway when the shooting began. The varsity officials and security personnel helped students evacuate the campus. Thousands of students fled, but a number of them remained trapped inside. Meanwhile, videos have surfaced on social media which shows students fleeing the varsity in the wake of the dastardly attack by gunned terrorists.
#AFG Kabul university students fleeing after an attack against university by armed attackers. Video via @WaisBarakzai pic.twitter.com/Hwyf05RGZF
— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) November 2, 2020
Afghan security forces later surrounded the area, cordoning off all roads that led to the university.
Last month, the Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on an educational centre in Kabul’s Shi’ite dominated neighbourhood of Dasht-e-Barchi in which at least 24 people, mostly students, were killed.
Last year, at least two people were killed and 10 injured in an explosion outside the Kabul University campus’ gate. In 2016, the American University in Kabul had come under attack, leading to the death of 13 people.
