The death toll from bombs planted outside a girls' school in an area of the Afghan capital populated largely by Hazaras rose to 50 Sunday as the Taliban denied government accusations that they were behind the bloody attack.
The Saturday's blasts -- the deadliest in more than a year -- rocked the west Kabul district of Dasht-e-Barchi, a regular target of militants.It comes as the United States military continues to pull out its last 2,500 troops from the violence-wracked country despite faltering peace efforts between the Taliban and Afghan government to end a decades-long war.
Describing Saturday's carnage, Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian told reporters that a car bomb first detonated in front of the Sayed Al-Shuhada School, and when the students rushed out in panic two more devices exploded.
He said more than 100 people were wounded, adding that most of the victims were female students.
Residents were out shopping ahead of this week's Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
On Sunday relatives began burying the dead at a hilltop site known as "Martyrs Cemetery".
No group has so far claimed the attack.
The United States was supposed to have pulled all forces out by May 1 under a deal struck with the Taliban last year, but Washington pushed back the date to September 11 -- a move that angered the insurgents.
The top US diplomat in Kabul, Ross Wilson, called Saturday's blasts "abhorrent".
"This unforgivable attack on children is an assault on Afghanistan's future, which cannot stand," Wilson said on Twitter.
