Air raid on seminary kills 12 children in Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - An alleged air strike by the Afghan forces on a seminary killed at least 12 children in the northern Takhar province of Afghanistan, local officials said on Thursday.

The provincial administration in Takhar confirmed that late on Wednesday an air raid by the Afghan Air Force “mistakenly” hit a seminary killing at least 12 children. However, the country’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh rejected the reports of civilian casualties in Takhar.

The country’s Defense Ministry said it will investigate the matter.

The Taliban staged multiple coordinated assaults in Takhar province a day earlier killing the provincial security chief, Raz Mohammad Doorandish, along with over 30 policemen.

The Taliban said in a statement that “heavy casualties” were inflicted on “enemy troops” during those attacks in Takhar’s Baharak district.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring Faryab province, at least four civilians lost their lives as mortar shells allegedly fired by the Taliban hit a local market.

Abdul Kareem, a spokesman for the provincial governor, informed Anadolu Agency the incident took place in the Sheren Tagab district at around noon. He added 14 civilians got injured in this attack.

This comes as the Taliban are engaged in the US-brokered intra-Afghan peace talks with the Afghan officials in the Qatari capital Doha since Sept. 12.