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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement strongly condemning the bombing near an educational center in the Afghan capital that left dozens injured. The ministry reiterated the Kingdom’s complete rejection of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism. It expressed Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with Afghanistan and its people following the attack, wished the injured a speedy recovery and voiced hope that Afghans would enjoy security, peace and stability.
An explosion struck the Sham-e-Hedayat private school in Kabul on August 18, 2026, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported. The blast injured at least 42 children aged between 9 and 14, all suffering shrapnel wounds with at least three requiring surgery, according to the EMERGENCY hospital in Kabul. Reuters reported that the incident occurred in Dasht-e-Barchi, a neighborhood predominantly home to Afghanistan’s Hazara and Shia minority communities that has frequently been targeted by Sunni Islamist militants including Islamic State.
Witnesses told Amu TV that assailants on motorcycles threw several grenades into the school courtyard around 4:45 p.m. local time as more than 70 students lined up to leave classes. The Taliban-run Kabul police confirmed an investigation was underway but provided no further details, Al Jazeera noted. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though the area’s history has led observers to suspect groups like Islamic State Khorasan Province.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, condemned the incident as a heinous attack in a social media post. The European Union’s mission in Afghanistan stated that deliberate attacks on children and education centers are unacceptable. These international reactions joined the Saudi ministry’s denunciation in calling for accountability and protection of educational sites.
Dasht-e-Barchi has faced repeated violence, including a 2021 school attack in the same district that killed at least 85 people, most of them young girls from the Hazara community, according to Reuters archives. The latest incident underscores the persistent threats to minority communities in Afghanistan, where such assaults have targeted students and civilians for years. Health officials indicated that one Kabul facility alone received 35 of the injured children from the August 18 blast.
Saudi Arabia’s condemnation aligns with its longstanding stance against terrorism as articulated in prior official statements on regional incidents. The ministry’s expression of support for the Afghan people reflects diplomatic efforts aimed at fostering stability across the region. The statement stopped short of detailing any specific follow-up measures or coordination with Afghan authorities.
