According to Zadran, many of those killed were recent high school graduates who were attending the Kaaj Higher Educational Center to study for college entrance exams.
Online rumours that have not been independently verified put the death toll at over 100, many of them children. Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwary tweeted horrifying videos of the carnage and quoted a member of the education centre: "We have so far counted 100 dead bodies of our students... number of students killed is much higher."
“I picked up hands and legs from the human body. All that was left of my former students was that," Sarwary cited one of the instructors in his tweet testifying to how horrific the attack was.
As a mock university entrance exam was being administered in Kabul's Dashti Barchi neighbourhood, which is primarily home to members of Afghanistan's minority Shiite community, the attack happened early this morning.
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
An eyewitness - 19-year-old Shafi Akbary - told the Associated Press around 300 students had been called for an early morning practice exam.
"First, we heard the sounds of a few gunshots at the main gate. Everyone was worried and tried to run to a different direction. Soon after that, a huge explosion occurred inside the center," he told AP over the phone.
Akbary - fortunately unharmed - said he saw dozens of bodies scattered.
This attack, which is the deadliest since a blast tore through a mosque in the province of Herat earlier this month. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. AP had reported 18 killed, including a pro-Taliban cleric, and 21 wounded in that attack.
The Islamic State - seen as the Taliban's chief rival since the takeover of Afghanistan in August last year - has the Dashti Barchi area in the past.
In 2020 a bloody attack on a maternity hospital killed 24, including babies.
The attack has been denounced by the US. The US chargé d'affaires, Karen Decker, tweeted, "Targeting a room full of students taking exams is shameful; all students should be able to pursue an education in peace & without fear."
The United Nations has also condemned the attack, emphasising that violence in or around educational establishments is never acceptable.
(With inputs from agencies)
