Suicide bomb blast hits Kabul education center, killing 24

At least 24 people were killed and over 57 others wounded in a suicide bomb blast rocking outside an education center in a western neighborhood of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Saturday, reported Xinhua, quoting Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said Sunday.

In talks with Xinhua on Sunday, the official confirmed that 24 persons had been killed and 57 others injured due to the suicide attack that targeted Kowsar-e-Danish, a private education center in the western edge of Kabul city on Saturday afternoon.

All the victims are civilians, Arian added.

Earlier report confirmed that 11 were dead and 20 injured.

The Islamic State outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion occurred roughly at 4:30 p.m. local time outside Kowsar-e-Danish, a private education center, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest after being intercepted by the security guards of the facility, Kabul police spokesman Ferdaus Faramarz told reporters via a text message.

"We heard a huge blast outside an education center in Pul-e-Khushk locality of Dashti Barchi area. The explosion triggered panic in the area in Police District 13 of Kabul," eyewitness Mohammad Nabi told Xinhua.

The casualties were transported by ambulances and police vans to hospitals.

Several educational and cultural centers, mosques and sports facilities have been attacked in the district in recent years, and most of the attacks have been claimed by the militants of the Islamic State (IS) group.