Explosion in Afghanistan's religious school kills 8 children, chief cleric

A bomb blast inside a seminary in Parwan province of Afghanistan on Tuesday killed eight children and a senior cleric, Afghan media said. Deputy governor Shah Wali Shahid said that the head of the Parwan clerical council, Mawlavi Abdul Rahim Hanafi, was assassinated in the explosion.

The explosives were detonated as soon as the students gathered in the classroom. Denouncing the act as a ‘terrorist attack’, Shahid said that Hanafi was the main target of the bombing which occurred at the madrassa in Charakar.

He further said that an investigation is underway to determine how the bomb was brought into the classroom.

ALSO READ: Thailand: Double bomb blast injures more than 50 in Pattani

Officials have claimed that several others too were wounded in the explosion. However, no group has still claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Taliban had announced the start of their spring offensive in April, while threatening to step up attacks across the country.

READ: IPL 2017 | KXIP vs KKR, Match Preview: Kings Eleven Punjab targets win against Kolkata Knight Riders with play-off hopes alive