Mostly girls
Afghanistan: Nearly 90 school children may have been poisoned
A school in Kabul. Since the Taliban took power, attacks on women and girls in Afghanistan have increased. Schools for girls from the seventh grade upwards were closed (archive image).
Nearly 90 children at two schools in Afghanistan may have been poisoned. The authorities are investigating. Since the radical Islamist Taliban took power, attacks on girls in particular have increased.
Two schools may have been poisoned in northern Afghanistan. As Omair Saripuli, director of the information authority in Sar-i Pul province, told the German Press Agency on Monday, almost 90 children had complained of symptoms such as shortness of breath and nausea on Saturday. Most are girls. According to his own statement, Saripuli suspects poisoning.
Afghanistan: Schoolchildren hospitalized after suspected poisoning
Three teachers and one other employee at one of the schools and the father of a school child were also affected. Some of the children were taken to the hospital and their condition is stable, Saripuli said. There were also symptoms such as watery eyes and runny noses in the school children.
The Afghan news channel Tolo News had spoken of 77 affected students at two schools late on Sunday evening, citing the director of the education authority, Mohammad Rahmani. According to Tolo News, Rahmani also suspected possible poisoning as the cause. The foreign-based news channel Amu TV showed a video of affected school children in a hospital.
Evidence of possible traces of poison was not previously known. According to Saripuli, no suspects have been arrested in connection with the incidents. authorities determined.
In Afghanistan, there have been repeated attacks on schoolgirls in the past, often by unknown perpetrators, even before the militant Islamist Taliban took power. Since taking power again in August 2021, the Taliban have closed girls’ schools from the seventh grade upwards.