Another 160 Afghan Schoolgirls Poisoned

Another group of Afghan girls was poisoned today, making this the second attack on schoolgirls in the past week. 160 girls in Talokhan, the capital of the Northern Afghan province of Takhar, were taken to the hospital after the attack, complaining of headaches, dizziness, and nausea. CNN reports that the girls were poisoned with some sort of spray.

A report by Radio Free Afghanistan said that some of the girls reported smelling a foul odor before falling unconscious. One of the victims of the attack told the press that, "When I entered the class I smelled something and then I started to vomit and fall unconscious; I don't remember what happened after that."

Last Wednesday, over 120 Afghan girls in the Takhar province were poisoned when a toxic substance was released into their school's air. On April 17, 150 school girls in the same province drank contaminated water, sending many to the hospital. The education ministry of Afghanistan announced earlier this month that 550 schools have been closed in 11 different provinces with strong Taliban influence. According to CNN, the Taliban have denied responsibility for last week's attack and claimed that US and NATO forces are responsible in an attempt to "defame" the Taliban.

Media Resources: CNN 5/29/12; RFE/RL 5/29/12; Feminist Daily Newswire 5/23/12, 5/18/12

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