View Point: Chemical Substance Attacks in Afghan Schools

Afghan Taliban’s campaign against female education and empowerment is well known. This campaign reached new heights when unidentified poison attacks occurred targeting several girls schools located in Kapisa and Parwan provinces in April-May 2009. These attacks involved poisonous chemical substances and the victims had complained of headaches, nausea, vomiting, itching in the eyes following exposure. Again, in mid 2010, incidents of poisoning came to light in the Afghan capital, Kabul including in Esmati High School. Similar incidents have been noticed in 2012 as well. During same months of this year the reported attacks have occurred in many girls high schools including the Naheed Shaheed Girls High School and Bashirabad High School in the Takhar province. In the two months of April and May, over a hundred schoolgirls and teachers were affected by poisoned drinking water and contaminated air at these high schools. Unidentified toxic powder was used to contaminate the air in the classrooms as well as the drinking water source of these schools.

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