At least nine students were killed in a mortar shell explosion inside a religious school in the Ishkamish District in Takhar Province of Afghanistan on June 18, reports gandhara.rferl.org. "The initial investigation shows that the blast was caused by a mortar that had somehow been carried inside the madrasah," Police spokesman Khalil Asir said, adding that many of those killed were under 18. Another six students were injured in the blast, Asir added. Jawad Hejri, a spokesman for the provincial governor, confirmed the explosion and the death toll.