Around 80 Afghan school girls hospitalised after alleged poison attack, says report
Nearly 80 girls in grades 1-6 were poisoned at two schools in Afghanistan's Sar-e-Pul province. The education department is investigating the incidents.80 Afghan girls hospitalised after being poisoned at schools: Report
PremiumIn a distressing incident nearly 80 schoolgirls were hospitalised after a suspected poisoning attack, according to an education official in Afghanistan, Fox News said.
The incidents occurred over the weekend in the province of Sar-e-Pul, located in the northern region.
Mohammad Rahmani, the director of the provincial department of education, revealed that the poisoning occurred among female pupils in grades 1 through 6 in the Sangcharak district.
Specifically, 60 students from Naswan-e-Kabod Aab School and 17 from Naswan-e-Faizabad School were affected by the attack, Fox News reported.
He said, "Both primary schools are near to each other and were targeted one after the other." He , added, "we shifted the students to the hospital and now they are all fine."
While the investigation is still ongoing, initial inquiries have revealed that an individual harbouring resentment allegedly paid a third party to carry out the attacks. However, Rahmani did not provide further details regarding the nature of the poisoning or the specific injuries sustained by the girls, according to Fox News.
This incident marks a disturbing development since the Taliban assumed control in August 2021, tightening their grip on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls.
Under the Taliban regime, girls are prohibited from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, including access to higher education. Additionally, women face restrictions in employment opportunities and public spaces.
This attack serves as a somber reminder of similar incidents in neighboring Iran, where school-age girls have been targeted in a series of poisonings since November. Thousands of students have reported falling ill due to noxious fumes in these incidents. However, there has been no disclosure regarding the culprits behind these attacks or the specific chemicals employed.
(With inputs from ANI)
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