Who were the primary victims of the Kabul suicide bombing?

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The primary victims of the Kabul suicide bombing were girls and young women.

The suicide bomb attack on an education centre in Kabul resulted in a death toll of at least 43, with the United Nations mission in Afghanistan reporting that girls and young women were the main casualties. The bombing occurred on Friday in a gender-segregated study hall within a Kabul neighbourhood, which is home to the Shiah Muslim Hazara community. Hundreds of students were present, undertaking a practice test for university admissions at the time of the detonation.
Attack Details and Casualties

The attack saw a suicide bomber detonate explosives in a study hall, a gender-segregated facility catering to students. Initial reports from the Taliban authorities indicated 25 people were killed and 33 others wounded. However, the UN mission later updated the figures, stating that 43 individuals had died and 83 were injured, emphasizing that girls and young women constituted the majority of those affected, with further increases in casualties anticipated.
Targeting of the Hazara Community

The education centre is located in a neighbourhood predominantly inhabited by the Shiah Muslim Hazara community, a group that has historically faced significant persecution and regular attacks. In May of the preceding year, a similar incident in the same area involved three bomb explosions near a school, which killed at least 85 people, predominantly girls, and wounded approximately 300.
Community Response and Protests

The bombing prompted women-led protests in Kabul and other cities, with participants in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood chanting slogans such as, “Stop Hazara genocide, it’s not a crime to be a Shiah.” These rallies were subsequently dispersed by Taliban forces, who reportedly fired shots into the air and physically confronted protesters. Afghanistan's Hazara population has been a recurrent target, facing persecution for decades from groups like the Islamic State, which considers Shiahs to be heretics.

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Who were the primary victims of the Kabul suicide bombing?

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