7 Students Killed at Mortar Shell Explosion in Afghanistan

The deadly blast occurred in a religious school in the Ishkamish district of Takhar Province on Thursday, when a live mortar shell was mishandled at the site.

“As per initial investigation, the explosion was caused by a mortar that had somehow been carried inside the madrassa,” police spokesman Khalil Asir said, referring to the school.

Provincial governor spokesman Jawad Hejri also confirmed the incident.

No further details were immediately available.

Also, on Wednesday night, a suspected Taliban attack killed at least seven police officers in the east-central province of Baghlan, Afghanistan’s Tolo News television channel quoted an unnamed security source as saying on Thursday.

“The Taliban has also suffered casualties but there is no exact information,” the source added.

The latest attacks come as the government and the Taliban militant group agreed to hold their first high-level meeting in a peace process in Qatar.

The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. While the invasion ended the Taliban’s rule in the country, it failed to eliminate the group.

The US reached a deal with the Taliban in February to gradually withdraw its forces.