Nearly 80 primary schoolgirls believed poisoned in Afghanistan

Two schools in northern province targeted, says education official, who suggested the attacker was motivated by a personal grudge

Nearly 80 girls were poisoned and hospitalised in two separate attacks at their primary schools in northern Afghanistan, a local education official said on Sunday.

He said the person who orchestrated the poisoning had a personal grudge but did not elaborate. The attacks took place in Sar-e-Pul province over Saturday and Sunday.