Kabul University rocked by blast & gunfight as armed men enter campus; security deployed

Explosion and gunfight took place near Kabul University on November 2 when Afghan and Iranian officials were inaugurating a book exhibition at the campus. According to media reports, a group of at least three people had entered the compound on Monday morning. The explosion and the bullets were heard while the inauguration event was taking place, prompting the students to leave the campus. As of now, the police has reportedly said that security forces have been deployed to the attack scene and no group has claimed responsibility of the attack. 

There have been no immediate reports of any injuries but as per Associated Press report, the Interior Ministry spokesperson Tariq Arian said that the gunfire was ongoing when a number of dignitaries were at Kabul university. The University professor Zabiullah Haidari told local TV station, Ariana, that the classes at the compound were also going on when the shooting began. He also said that the university officials along with security personnel were escorting people out of campus while the roads were blocked leading to the compound as the worried family members tried to reach the University. 

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Taliban denies involvement

Even though no group claimed the responsibility, the Taliban issued a statement saying that it was not involved. However, violent incidents have been relentless in Afghanistan even while the extremist group is taking part in peace negotiations with the Afghan government to end the over four decades-long war. The explosion and gunfight at Kabul university came when the talks between the extremist group and Afghanistan in Qatar are ‘painfully slow’ leaving the chaos in the war-stricken nation unabated. 

A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-bearing vehicle near the police special forces base in eastern Afghanistan on October 27 triggering gunfight with the law enforcement officials which was followed by another suicide bombing, and a coordinated attack that killed three people, the Afghan officials had said about the incident that killed four militants.

Earlier, the US special envoy to Afghanistan has warned on October 19 that violence of “distressingly high” levels is threatening to deviate the ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Zalmay Khalilzad’s remarks came as fighting has renewed in the southern Helmand province in Afghanistan, which is also a Taliban stronghold. However, just last week, the Taliban had agreed to cease attacks on the condition of the United States stopping its air raids in the same region. 

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Image: AP