Almost 100 girls were poisoned and hospitalized in two separate attacks at their primary schools in northern Afghanistan, a local education official said Monday.

A First in the Taliban Era

It is believed that this is the first time this kind of assault has happened since the Taliban took over in August 2021 and started implementing restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls.

Limited Education and Opportunities for Afghan Women

Girls are not allowed to pursue education beyond sixth grade, including university, while women are excluded from most jobs and public spaces due to Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The education official stated that the person who orchestrated the poisoning had a personal grudge but did not provide further details.

Details of the Poisoning Attacks

The attacks happened in Sar-e-Pul province over the weekend.

Almost 80 female students were poisoned in Sangcharak district, according to Mohammad Rahmani, who leads the provincial education department.

Rahmani said that 60 students were poisoned in Naswan-e-Kabod Aab School, while 17 others were poisoned in Naswan-e-Faizabad School. He added, “Both primary schools are near to each other and were targeted one after the other. We shifted the students to the hospital, and now they are all fine.”

Investigations Ongoing

The education department is still investigating, but initial inquiries suggest that someone with a grudge paid a third party to carry out the attacks, according to Rahmani.

Rahmani did not provide any information on how the girls were poisoned or the nature of their injuries. He did not disclose their ages but said they were in grades 1 to 6.

Similar Incidents in Neighboring Iran

In neighboring Iran, a series of poisonings, mostly in girls’ schools, has been taking place since last November. Thousands of students reported being sickened by noxious fumes in these incidents. However, there has been no information about who might be responsible or what chemicals have been used.