Multiple Primary Schools in Afghanistan Targeted in Poisoning Attacks on Young Girls

Nearly 80 girls were poisoned and hospitalized in two separate attacks at their primary schools in northern Afghanistan, marking the first such assault since the Taliban took power in August 2021. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade, including university, and women are barred from most jobs and public spaces. The attacks are similar to those happening in Iran since last November, where thousands of students have reported being sickened by noxious fumes in girls' schools. The cause of the attacks in Afghanistan is believed to be a personal grudge, according to an education official.