Midwife training centre attacked in Afghanistan

An Afghan midwife-training centre has come under attack by militants, with at least three people injured

Afghan forces prepare to storm the centre to attempt to rescue civilians and stop the terrorists (Photo: Aljazeera.com)
Afghan forces prepare to storm the centre to attempt to rescue civilians and stop the terrorists (Photo: Aljazeera.com)

An Afghan midwife-training centre has come under attack by militants, with at least three people injured.

Three people have sustained injuries and have been hospitalised after terrorists stormed a midwife-training centre In Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Most students and midwives have been rescued, but unknown number of people may still be trapped inside the compound.

The attack began at 11:30 local time (08:00 Malta time) when attackers set off explosives and fired gunshots at the centre. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility.

Attaullah Khogyani, provincial spokesperson of Nangarhar province, has said that Afghan security forces cordoned off the area and have launched a counter-operation.

According to local officials, approximately 70 employees and students were in the centre when the attack began, and at least 57 have been evacuated, but others are still unaccounted for.

Eyewitnesses have stated that explosives were placed in the street near the complex. While it remains uncertain as to why the midwife-training centre in particular was targeted, militants often choose official and medical buildings for their attacks, and many Afghans oppose unmarried women working outside their homes.

More than 50% of births in Afghanistan occur without the presence of a trained midwife, and the country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world: 396 deaths per 100,000 live births, as opposed to the global average of 216 deaths.