The attack on a religious gathering of almost 2,000 clerics from around the country in Kabul on Tuesday evening, inside a wedding hall venue, claimed the lives of over 50 people, including students and teenagers who had been there with family members and mentors to mark Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.
The families of some victims said government has failed to ensure people’s safety and has neglected to maintain security in Kabul and other provinces.
Among the victims were two members of one family – Muzammil, 19, an economy faculty student from Parwan, and Farid, 22, a graduate teacher from Kabul. Farid had been married for only six months.
The two victims were cousins and had attended the event together.
“For God’s sake! Leave government if you cannot run it. How long should we tolerate this? How long will the slaughter of youths continue?” asked Mohammad Sadiq, Farid’s uncle.
“They went there for the Almighty Allah. We ask government to ensure people’s safety,” said Sayed Hamid, Farid’s uncle.
“Government is not thinking about the people. They are living behind high walls and under tight security but they are not paying attention to the people and they are not taking any security measures for the general masses,” said Raz Mohammad, Muzammil’s cousin.
One survivor, Mawlawi Noorullah Hanif, said he had been sitting very close to the two victims but he survived the attack. He said he continues to see the horrors of the incident.
“A strong person was trying to get closer (to the podium) but one of the participants was preventing him from moving forward. It was then when a fire (ball) went up in the air and everything was destroyed,” said Hanif.
Safiullah, 22, a Kabul shopkeeper, survived but sustained chest injuries in the bombing.
Safiullah is one of 30 wounded victims who were taken to Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital on Tuesday evening. He said he had been operated on, on Tuesday night.
“An explosion happened. I do not remember the rest. I opened my eyes and saw that I was in hospital,” said Safiullah.
According to doctors, Safiullah is now in a stable condition.
“One of our patients whose chest had been bleeding underwent surgery and his condition is good right now,” said Hasibullah Barak, head of Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital’s surgery department.
About 50 people lost their lives in the attack and more than 80 others were wounded, according to government officials.