SW News: The European Union has urged Afghanistan to investigate the alleged poisoning of schoolgirls in the country's northern region after they were hospitalized. Lamenting the attack against schoolchildren, the union said, "This is a heinous crime that needs to be followed up by the de facto authorities, as per their obligations under international law to protect the population."

The European Union added that education is a right of all children and that schools should be safe havens for them. At least 80 children were taken to hospital after being poisoned over the weekend in two separate attacks. The regional governor's office said adults, including teachers, were also sickened.

The first incident happened on Saturday, when 63 people at Kabul Aab School for girls, including teachers, were poisoned. Three female teachers, a male staff member and a parent of one student were also admitted to hospital with poisoning symptoms.

The second incident occurred on Sunday in the same region where 22 female students and four teachers at Naswan-e-Faizabad were poisoned.

In 2015, nearly 600 students were hospitalized in the country after poisoning in different schools.

These incidents come after intense scrutiny of girls' education in the war-torn nation since the Taliban took over in 2021 and barred most teenage female students. Girls are not allowed to continue their education past the sixth grade, including access to higher education, under the Taliban government. Women are also subject to limited job prospects and access to public areas.

However, the Taliban government has yet to respond to the same.

This incident reminds of similar attacks on schoolgirls that have occurred in the neighboring country of Iran since November. Hundreds were hospitalized with symptoms that included respiratory distress, numbness in limbs, heart palpitations, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.