Over 1,000 Students Killed or Injured in Recent Kunar Earthquake

More than 1,000 schoolchildren were killed or injured in the recent earthquake that struck Afghanistan’s Kunar province, according to new figures from the provincial education department.

Mawlawi Mohibullah Haidari, head of Kunar’s education department, said at least 268 students lost their lives, while 862 others were injured in the disaster.

Beyond the human toll, the quake inflicted heavy damage on Kunar’s educational infrastructure. Haidari reported that more than 306 schools and religious seminaries were destroyed. In addition, four teachers and nearly 20 education staff members were killed.

The earthquake also devastated thousands of residential homes. Reports indicate that around 8,000 houses, along with numerous public facilities, were reduced to rubble.

Although the Taliban authorities control government institutions in the province, they have yet to provide an effective plan for relief or reconstruction in the affected areas. Meanwhile, grieving families and the education community in Kunar are in urgent need of immediate support. The Taliban’s failure to manage the crisis and address the needs of victims has raised serious concerns among local residents.