Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said numerous children were hurt in the "deplorable" attack in the western Dasht-e-Barchi area, which is home to the historically persecuted Shiite Hazara community. In a post on X, he called for "a full and independent investigation with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice". The blast occurred on Monday at a private primary school for girls and boys, just as children were being dismissed, according to a 38-year-old nearby resident who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity for security reasons. She said children inside the school courtyard had been wounded, while those who had already left were safe. Wounded children were taken away in ambulances and cars, and there were so many injured that she couldn't count them. Kabul police told AFP there was a "hand grenade explosion" at the school in which "several children sustained minor injuries". Police spokesman Khalid Zadran said relevant teams had arrived at the scene and an investigation was underway. A second anonymous resident said the area was surrounded by security forces on Tuesday. There have been sporadic attacks in Kabul during the five years of Taliban rule, including an explosion at a central Chinese restaurant in January that killed at least seven people. The Dasht-e-Barchi area has seen multiple deadly blasts, including a car bomb outside a girls' school in 2021 that killed at least 90 people and wounded hundreds. The Islamic State group, which regards Shiites as heretics, has claimed responsibility for attacks in the area. (Bssnews)