Sharif Hassan

“It’s not enough,” said a former journalist in Kunduz. “Every Afghan wants an end to violence and a permanent cease-fire."

The attack killed more than 85 people, mostly students, as class let out Saturday.

The bombing, which occurred as school was letting out for the day, also wounded more than 100 people, the Afghan Interior Ministry said. The attack is the deadliest to strike the Afghan capital in months.

There are worries of rising violence in response to President Biden’s plans to extend the U.S. troop pullout until September.

The outposts frustrate military resupply efforts, stifle the provision of government services and undercut confidence in the country’s elected officials.

For some Afghans, the U.S. invasion created opportunities that would have been unimaginable just years before. But the same forces also ripped communities apart.

The attacks are the latest in a string of targeted killings sowing unease in government-held towns and cities despite ongoing peace talks.

The ban was issued by Kabul's education directorate last week and almost immediately spurred a #IAmMySong social media protest campaign.

Police forces in Kabul have been doubled, with remote bombings and strikes by gunmen occurring almost daily.

The deaths of 11, including a TV host, have spurred fears over press freedom.