Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Over 52 Injured in Grenade Blast Near Kabul School
Something dangerous happened outside a school in Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan.
A hand grenade, a small and powerful explosive, went off near the Sham-e Hedayat private school.
More than 50 people were hurt, and some of them were children.
A police spokesperson said the blast was caused by a hand grenade, but nobody knows yet who brought it or why it went off.
People who saw what happened said the grenade was with a student when it exploded, and that student was also hurt.
No one is sure yet if the explosion was an accident or if it was done on purpose.
The school is in a neighborhood called Dasht-e Barchi, where many Hazara and Shia families live.
That area has seen dangerous attacks before, so people are worried about the safety of students.
A United Nations official strongly condemned the blast and asked for a full investigation.
The investigation should find out how the student got the grenade and why it went off, so that families can feel safer.
Over 52 people, including children, were injured when a hand grenade exploded near the Sham-e Hedayat private school in Dasht-e Barchi, western Kabul.
Taliban police spokesperson Khalid Zadran confirmed the blast was caused by a hand grenade, but did not say who carried it or how it detonated.
Witnesses said the grenade exploded while in the possession of a school student, who was also wounded in the blast.
Authorities have not determined whether the explosion was accidental or intentional, and Khaama Press reported an investigation is needed into how the student obtained the grenade.
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett condemned the 'heinous attack' and called for a full independent investigation, while UNAMA urged authorities to take steps toward lasting stability.
- Who
- Over 52 people, including children, were injured; witnesses said a school student had the grenade. Taliban police spokesperson Khalid Zadran and UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett addressed the incident.
- What
- A hand grenade exploded near the Sham-e Hedayat private school, injuring over 52 people including children.
- When
- Monday, one day before Richard Bennett's Tuesday statement on X.
- Where
- Near the Sham-e Hedayat private school in Dasht-e Barchi, a densely populated area of western Kabul, Afghanistan.
- Why
- The cause is undetermined; authorities have yet to establish whether the blast was accidental or intentional or how the student obtained the grenade.
Critics of Taliban rule
Taliban authorities
Security under Taliban rule
Critics of Taliban rule
Critics, citing coverage of the blast, say it shows Afghanistan is not safe under the Taliban and that families and children remain at risk.
Taliban authorities
Taliban police confirmed only that the blast was caused by a hand grenade; authorities provided no further details on who carried it or how it detonated.
Cause of the explosion
Critics of Taliban rule
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett called it a 'heinous attack' targeting the mainly Hazara part of Kabul and demanded that perpetrators be brought to justice.
Taliban authorities
Authorities have yet to determine whether the explosion was accidental or intentional, and questions over how the student obtained the grenade remain unanswered.
- Incident
- Hand grenade explosion near a school
- Location
- Near Sham-e Hedayat private school, Dasht-e Barchi, western Kabul, Afghanistan
- Date
- Monday, one day before the Tuesday UN condemnation
- Injured
- Over 52 people, including children
- Witness account
- Grenade exploded while in the possession of a school student, who was also wounded
- Investigation status
- Not yet determined whether accidental or intentional
- UN response
- Richard Bennett condemned the 'heinous attack' and called for an independent probe; UNAMA urged steps toward lasting stability
- Community
- Dasht-e Barchi is home to a large Hazara and Shia community with a history of security threats
