The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul is currently under attack, reportedly by the Taliban. Around 7 pm Kabul time (10:30 am EST) an explosion blew open the front gate to the University, followed by automatic gunfire.
Students trapped inside have been posting on Facebook and tweeting to the world their plight. Police and Afghan security forces have responded.
It is believed that several American professors and hundreds of students are currently trapped inside.
This is the Taliban fighting season in Afghanistan. Currently the Taliban is engaged in fighting against Afghan forces in several provinces.
American University of Afghanistan is located in the center of Kabul. This attack comes after two of the University’s professors, an American and an Australian, were kidnapped by masked gunmen wearing Afghan military fatigues on August 8. On Sunday, two foreigners were kidnapped from their vehicles on a road close to the University.
“We are stuck inside my class with other students. I heard explosions and gunfire is going on close by,” a student reported on the phone with AFP.
The American University in Afghanistan has been open since 2006 and enrolls more than 1,700 students, 40 percent of whom are women. It is the first private, non-profit, independent University in Afghanistan and is known for its excellent education and fellowship opportunities for women.
