Afghan attack kills seven children

A ROCKET exploded in a packed school near a US-led coalition base in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, killing seven children and wounding 34 other people, officials said.

The rocket landed in the grounds of Salabagh School in Asadabad, located in a steep river valley about 105 miles north-east of the capital, Kabul, in the volatile Kunar province near the Pakistani border, said local police commander Mohammed Hasan.

Another rocket exploded in a nearby field and hurt no one.

It was unclear if the intended target was the school or the coalition base. Coalition helicopters patrolled the area after the attack.

“This despicable act clearly demonstrates the enemy’s complete disregard for the Afghan people,” US military commander Maj Gen Benjamin Freakley said.

“The Afghan National Army and coalition forces will hunt down these terrorists and ensure they’re held responsible.”

Hasan blamed Taliban militants for targeting the school as part of a campaign against government-sponsored education.

But a purported Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammed Yousaf, denied involvement, saying: “We do not kill innocent children. This is not our work.”