Afghan school girls poisoned
- 12 years ago
More than 120 Afghan schoolgirls and three teachers were poisoned at their school in northern Takhar province --- an attack that is being blamed on conservative radicals.
Many are being treated at a local hospital.
Recovering students offered details of the ordeal.
SOUNDBITE: Afghan school girl Samera saying (Dari):
"We saw one of the students was unconscious and in bad condition. We were told not to drink water, but we had already drunk the water and we became unconscious too."
Afghan police have not identified the toxic powder used in the attack.
The country's intelligence agency says the Taliban appears intent on closing schools ahead of a 2014 drawdown of international forces.
School officials say this is the second attack of this type in recent weeks. At least 150 schoolgirls were poisoned in the same province one month ago, after drinking contaminated water.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters
Many are being treated at a local hospital.
Recovering students offered details of the ordeal.
SOUNDBITE: Afghan school girl Samera saying (Dari):
"We saw one of the students was unconscious and in bad condition. We were told not to drink water, but we had already drunk the water and we became unconscious too."
Afghan police have not identified the toxic powder used in the attack.
The country's intelligence agency says the Taliban appears intent on closing schools ahead of a 2014 drawdown of international forces.
School officials say this is the second attack of this type in recent weeks. At least 150 schoolgirls were poisoned in the same province one month ago, after drinking contaminated water.
Deborah Gembara, Reuters